The NC Department of Transportation has started preliminary surveying work on a proposed safety upgrade to a rural northern Johnston County intersection.
Lake Wendell Road has two off-set intersections with Buffalo Road north of Archer Lodge.
The northern most intersection will be realigned into a standard T-intersection with Buffalo Road, eliminating two circular splits.
“We want to do this to reduce traffic conflicts and room for driver error when motorists on Lake Wendell approach Buffalo Road,” according to Andrew Barksdale, spokesperson for the NC DOT. “Also, by having a 90-degree T-intersection angle, drivers on Lake Wendell can see better each way for any oncoming traffic on Buffalo, before proceeding onto the road.”
The DOT also plans to widen Buffalo Road from two to three lanes to include a turn lane between the two off-set intersections so that drivers on Lake Wendell Road, coming from either direction, can get onto Buffalo Road then immediately into a turn lane if they want to continue on their way on Lake Wendell Road. The turn lane will allow drivers not to impede or slow down other traffic on Buffalo Road.
Barksdale said the DOT hopes to award a bid on the project before the end of the year. The estimated cost is approximately $750,000.
