This section offers Cary citizens an update on the projects funded by the Shaping Cary’s Tomorrow Parks and Transportation Bonds overwhelmingly approved in a 2019 referendum.

Street Improvements Project

Cary has substantially completed its 2022 street improvements work. Along with street repaving, this project incorporated traffic-calming measures along Castalia Drive, including installation of speed humps and a raised crosswalk on the Black Creek Greenway crossing to reduce vehicle speeds. In addition, staff presented at the 2023 N.C. GIS Conference on Cary’s efforts to use GIS technology to increase efficiency and improve decision-making within the street improvements process. Construction on the $6 million 2023 street improvements project is scheduled to begin this spring and to be completed this winter.

Cary received federal grant funding for six transportation projects: 

• $2.2 million for Crabtree Creek Greenway crossing under Weston Parkway
• $2.5 million for Higgins Greenway Phase III from Union Street to Kildaire Farm Road
• $1.3 million for Crabtree Creek Greenway from Bond Park to High House Road
• $4.9 million for Black Creek Greenway renovation from Old Reedy Creek Road to Dynasty Drive
• $2.4 million for Cary Parkway sidewalk, including the pedestrian bridge over Black Creek
• $6.1 million for Carpenter Fire Station Road widening from N.C. 55 to N.C. 540

 This federal funding allows Cary to deliver projects that enhance the quality of life for citizens at a significant savings. With funding secured and the necessary N.C. Department of Transportation approvals in place, these projects are ready to move closer to construction, and work should start as soon as the next 12 months. In addition, Cary also received $1.9 million in federal grant funding for Higgins Greenway Phase IV, and design efforts are currently underway.

Data collection and design are underway for the 14 sidewalks funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. Natural resource investigations and historical preservation outreach have begun, and surveys are in progress. Preliminary design has begun for the locations with completed surveys. 

This quarter, Cary installed devices on five GoCary buses to test the ability to give them priority at traffic signals. With this installation, the Cary Connected Vehicle Project is complete. For two years, Cary installed more than 350 devices throughout town, including at intersections, schools, crosswalks, and on emergency vehicles and transit buses. Whether using the Glance TravelSafely app or Waze, citizens can take advantage of alerts and notifications that can make their commute — on foot, bike, or in a vehicle — safer and more efficient.

In the future, additional features like work zone notifications, stop sign warnings, and curve ahead warnings will be available, furthering safety enhancements for citizens. To reach even more people, the alerts and notifications from the connected vehicle system will be made available directly to vehicles through partnerships with vehicle manufacturers. These additional features require no new devices and come at little to no cost to Cary. The Cary Connected Vehicle project has a budget of $2 million. Financed in part by federal funds through the Local Assistance Project Program, Cary will be reimbursed 80% of the total cost of the project.

In response to safety concerns a father brought to staff attention, Cary and NCDOT worked together to install pedestrian fencing across the Carpenter Fire Station Road bridge over N.C. 540. In addition to helping to make the bridge safer for all users, staff was able to learn more about this family and provide additional resources and opportunities through Cary's Share and Care program. 

NCDOT is expected to adopt the 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) this summer. This plan identifies the construction funding and schedules for NCDOT projects over a 10-year period from 2024-2033. For the past several months, the draft STIP has been available for public review and comment. As a result of the STIP process, Cary expects two major projects to move forward. 

• Crossroads Junction, or the I-40/I-440/U.S. 1/U.S. 64 interchange: NCDOT held a public meeting in March to show its preferred alternative, and Cary staff were on hand to answer citizen questions. Concerns centered on minimizing the time that noise walls will be removed during construction adjacent to the Wellington Park area. Design and build are expected to proceed in 2026.
• Trinity Road Railroad Grade Separation: This project has been on hold for several years. Cary anticipates NCDOT funds to free up due to the delay in another Triangle project. NCDOT is expected to make a decision later this spring. 

This quarter brought a number of enhancements to pavement markings, signage, and pedestrian mobility around Cary as work wrapped on a package of traffic safety upgrades. Improvements included:

• Bicycle lane markings on Laura Duncan Road.
• Pavement markings and curb ramps at Crescent Green and Crescent Commons.
• Signs, crosswalks, and other markings throughout Cary.

As part of the Spot Safety program, this project highlights Cary’s commitment to continuous improvement and ability to be nimble with resources in a way that directly impacts citizens’ daily lives. This work originated from a combination of citizen feedback, often via 311, and staff observations. The Spot Safety program continues to be a dependable instrument by which staff are able to effect tangible advancements in traffic safety throughout Cary.

Also this quarter, Cary installed new types of traffic calming through projects on Loch Highlands Drive and Summerwinds Drive in the Lochmere area. A series of speed humps constructed on Loch Highlands Drive is the result of several years of community collaboration and incorporates a first-in-Cary installation of offset speed humps. These devices were selected in response to concerns of potential impacts to emergency vehicle response times. The offset design encourages drivers to moderate their speed just as a standard speed hump does but provides a bypass for emergency vehicles so they don’t have to slow to navigate multiple undulations.  

Along Summerwinds Drive, radar-activated LED sign rings were installed as a pilot study to determine if the relatively low-cost devices can produce measurable change similar to a more traditional speed hump. Particularly on Summerwinds Drive, citizens have been very supportive and have reacted positively to the LED sign rings. Additional data on vehicle speeds will be collected in the coming months and used to reach a conclusion on the success of these devices and their applicability to other projects around Cary.