CLAYTON – Ranch Road will be extended under a new contract to create a direct connection between U.S. 70 and the busy intersection of N.C. 42 East and U.S. 70 Business.
The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $9.7 million contract to Fred Smith Co. of Raleigh.
Under the project, Ranch Road will be extended to Rose Street, which is now a dead end at U.S. 70 Business, and portions of Little Creek Church Road will be realigned into new intersections with Ranch Road.
The U.S. 70 interchange at Ranch Road is 1.5 miles south of this project. The extension will create a new route between U.S. 70 and the interchange of N.C. 42 East and U.S. 70 Business.
U.S. 70 is the future Interstate 42 and a commuter route into the Raleigh area.
The town of Clayton sought this project to ease congestion on U.S. 70 Business, help local industry with their delivery routes, improve fire response and create an alternative route for a growing town.
The 2020 public meeting map shows generally the improvements. Since then, the design has been improved with the additions of a traffic signals at these two intersections:
- Ranch Road at Little Creek Church Road
Ranch Road at the realignment of Boiling Street
The funding for this project, which NCDOT will manage on behalf of the town of Clayton, is a unique collaboration involving NCDOT; the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization; the town of Clayton; and the Statewide Contingency Fund, which is a special fund for highway projects that receives approval from the transportation secretary and leadership in the N.C. General Assembly
One obvious purpose here is to get the Ranch/Little Creek traffic off of Bolling, Amos and Champion streets by funneling it out to the 42 East light by Sheetz.
It also essentially extends 42 E to the 70 bypass, as mentioned. I hope they have plans to make Little Creek and Ranch four-lane all the way through. This is also why they have to add two lights on Little Creek. I feel sorry for people who live along that stretch. Sell now before the construction starts.
Currently, coming from Ranch or Little Ck Ch and going onto US 70 W, you only have one light, at Champion & US 70.
After this easing the congestion, the same traffic will have 4 lights now, or 3 if you want to make the new left onto Bolling and wind behind Burger King and through Champion like before. But I’m sure they’ll have some way of discouraging or disallowing the latter. Realigning the intersection at Bolling is one factor, making Bolling St/Little Ck traffic turn both ways at the new light where it is currently straight.