The NC Department of Transportation will make improvements to a Clayton intersection on Thursday starting at 8:00PM.
The improvements follow complaints received by JoCoReport.com and forwarded to the NC DOT about the intersection of US 70 Business at Main and Champion Streets in the Clayton city limits. In December 2017, the NC DOT awarded a $6.6 million contact to repave US 70 Business through the town of Clayton. The project also included improvements to medians and turn lanes.
Since improvements were made several weeks ago to the turn lanes at US 70 Business at Main and Champion Streets, motorists have been complaining about how close approaching cars come to one another when turning. Clayton Police said one sideswipe accident was reported recently in the intersection by vehicles making left turns.
On Monday, the NC DOT sent an inspector to the intersection who determined the problem was with “mini skips” which is an engineering term for the small white markings that help guide traffic through a large intersection when turning. According to DOT spokesperson Andrew Barksdale, the contractor painted the Champion Street turn lane mini skips a little too close to the opposing traffic.
Barksdale said a contractor will be closing lanes starting at 8:00PM Thursday to redo the mini skips for traffic on Champion Street going left onto US 70 Business West. Work should take about two hours to complete once lane closures begin.
Photos by John Payne
