BENSON – NCDOT contractors are set to begin work on a new roundabout at the intersection of Main Street (NC 50) and Wall Street (US 301) in Benson over the next few weeks.
Crews are expected to mobilize by January 30, 2024, but area fencing and minor prep work could take place the week prior at the intersection.
The intersection may not close on that date, but once the roadway is closed it will remain shut down for 60 days to complete the roundabout.
The NCDOT will install detour signage to assist motorists in navigating around the work zone. Detours will include NC 27, NC 50, NC 242, I-40 and I-95. Local traffic will be directed onto Parrish and Church Streets.
Some portion of downtown parking will be affected at Benton Square and NAPA, however the remainder of downtown parking will still be useable during the intersection closure.
The NCDOT held an open house in 2018 for the Benson roundabout to address a safety problem with crashes, and to improve downtown traffic flow.
This is about the dumbest move ever! Wait till a long train comes through Benson. What will you do then? Block up the roundabout. I’m sure some people will not have enough sense to not block the road. It is going to be so small, what about the 18 wheelers? Oh better yet, just wait till Mule Days
The Town of Benson wants to be like Raleigh. Homes are being built to close together, downhill where it can all flood. They don’t want 18 wheelers going through town, so how do businesses get their merchandise to stay in business? There is nowhere decent to eat. You have to go to Dunn or Smithfield. To many stop signs for a small town. Benson DOES NOT need a roundabout. It will cause MAJOR PROBLEMS. The businesses are no longer there. They are pushing everyone out. Why can’t you leave well enough alone?
Wah!!! I don’t know how to navigate roundabouts. Wah!!! I’d rather have stoplights and stop signs that impeded the flow of traffic. Wah!!! I’d rather have statistically more dangerous intersections. Wah!!! I dont want things to change. Typical Snowflake, woke reactions to improvements and progress. #GrowUp
This is the stupidest thing the planning idiots have ever came up with!!! That intersection is NOT big enough for a roundabout ~ I guess the 18 wheelers that can barely make the turns now will have to figure out how to fold their trailers in half to make it. They say they aren’t taking any of the businesses land ~ well excuse me but it’s impossible to do what they are planning and NOT take land or businesses parking. All they are doing is once again driving business out of Benson and trying to make us a ghost town!! This needs to be stopped!!