NCDOT Says All-Way Stop Coming Soon To NC 42 East Intersection

Flowers are shown at a roadside memorial marking the location of an April 2021 fatal crash on NC 42 East at Thanksgiving Fire Road. In the background, EMS and fire first responders treat an accident victim at another crash at the same intersection in November 2022. Photo by John Payne

SELMA – The NC Department of Transportation says an all-way stop will be installed soon at the intersection of NC 42 East and Thanksgiving Fire Department Road.

In August 2022, the NCDOT announced a contract had been awarded to install all-way stops at nine Johnston County intersections to improve safety. At the time, the NCDOT said the contractor could begin work as early as August to October 2022 with completion in seven months.

Several serious crashes have occurred at the NC 42 East intersection since the announcement was made, including a crash as recent as January 2.

We reached out to the NCDOT this week to see when the nine all-way stops would be installed. A spokesperson said the NCDOT met with the contractor on Wednesday and they have until May 2023 to have the nine intersection upgrades completed. The NCDOT asked the contractor to complete the NC 42 intersection first.

The all-way stop, once installed, will be replaced in a few years with a roundabout.

Andrew Barksdale, NCDOT Public Relations Officer said Friday, “The all-way stop at NC 42 and Thanksgiving Fire Road is an interim safety improvement until a roundabout, which is planned at this location, can be designed and funded for a future project to make improvements to NC 42 east of Buffalo Road. That project for that part of the corridor is not fully designed yet, but is scheduled to be awarded for construction in 2028.”

The nine intersections scheduled for all-way stops before May 2023 include:

• U.S. 701 at Stewart Road
• N.C. 50 at Woods Crossroads Road
• N.C. 39 at Little Devine Road/Browns Pond Road
• N.C. 39 at N.C. 231
• N.C. 222 at Antioch Church Road
• N.C. 96 at Earpsboro Road
• N.C. 231 at N.C. 222/Buck Road
• N.C. 242 at Tarheel Road
• N.C. 42 at Thanksgiving Fire Road

16 COMMENTS

  1. Can we please stop with all the 4-way stops and roundabouts? The problem is simply distracted driving and driver impatience. The intersection at 42 & Thanksgiving Rd. is clear in both directions, there is ZERO need for a 4-way stop there. It does, however, sometimes require a little patience, that’s all. Same goes for the intersection at 39 & Little Devine. Have some common sense people.

    • I agree with you, but we are grossly outnumbered. If you have to commute through there on 42, you get another minute or more delay during commute time because people coming out of Thanksgiving can’t or won’t yield.

      As far as the contracts getting done, contractors for the state are quick with excuses and slow with completion. I’ll bet right now that no more than two on the list are done by the end of May.

      Meanwhile, no one says a thing about fixing the death and destruction on I-95 in the permanent construction zone in the southern part of the county, because that’s the fault of the drivers.

      • I can answer that about I-95 because I travel through there 5 days a week.. Drivers will go over 70 through there. I see it all of the time. The Speed limit is 60 for a reason.

    • TWIS,
      You complain about the solution for driver error and offer nothing else to solve the problem. Do you have any solutions better than those that have studied such things their entire lives?

      • @ScottBatson I actually know you and know for a fact that you are more knowledgeable on every subject than I am, so I will gracefully bow out of this conversation now. Take care.

    • I agree on 42 and thanksgiving fire rd is clear in both directions. The main problem is people being distracted by phones and other things.

  2. Ok, is there someone making these decissions that has investment in the stop sign manufacturer or the installation company? Gas is getting pretty expensive and 4-ways eat into gas mileage.

  3. Since People can’t do right, the government is stepping in and doing changes before they have to install Stop Lights at each intersection. People get what they ask for by NOT following the law.

    • But in this case, the ones breaking the law are affected the least; in fact they will now get out more quickly, while the innocent get held up and waste their time and expense.

    • Exactly concerned813, it has nothing to do with the massive construction of homes in the area and the lack of infrastructure to support them We need more cars on the road and more tax revenue to help pay for all this road construction. 42 from 70 to Wilson probably will need to be widened some more. I’m just glad no one has gotten hurt due to that construction……wait didn’t a father and child die ? Oh well at least we have more tax revenue to pay for everything…..SARCASM INTENDED.

  4. 4 way stop at 701 and Stewart road…now that’s going to be interesting with those BIG tractor trailer trucks flying down that hill from Newton Grove to I-95…Lord help those kids just learning how to drive learn WHAT to do…..

  5. People using the road make mistakes (like speeding, running stop signs and red lights, turning left in front of oncoming traffic), always have and always will. Crashes will always be with us, but they need not result in fatalities or serious injury.

    Modern roundabouts are the safest form of intersection in the world – the intersection type with the lowest risk of fatal or serious injury crashes – (much more so than comparable signals). Modern roundabouts require a change in speed and alter the geometry of one of the most dangerous parts of the system – intersections. The reduction in speed to about 20 mph and sideswipe geometry mean that, when a crash does happen at a modern roundabout, you might need a tow truck, but rarely an ambulance. Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or FHWA for modern roundabout FAQs and safety facts.

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