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Traffic change will wait for Bypass
by Johnny Whitfield, Wake Weekly Associate Editor
September 16, 2004
Wake Forest commissioners decided to hold off on changes to the traffic pattern around Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary at least until the second phase of the N.C. 98 Bypass is completed.
"It may not be needed then," said Deputy Town Manager Roe O'Donnell of a plan to turn four streets around the campus into a one-way loop that would allow traffic to move around the seminary continuously. Department of Transportation engineers Joey Hopkins and Jim Dunlap presented commissioners with a computerized model that showed how traffic would be routed counterclockwise around the seminary using Front Street, North Street, Wingate Street and South Street. Both existing travel lanes would funnel traffic around the seminary with the outside lanes being used by traffic turning onto and off the circle and inside lanes being used by through vehicles. The only stop light in the system would be located at the intersection of South Street and Wingate Street, where Hopkins said cars would still need the option of turning left onto Durham Highway. Seminary officials have met with the town and DOT to review the plans, and SEBTS Vice President for Administration Ryan Hutchinson said the seminary supports the plan. "There are a few things that are of concern, but DOT and the town are willing to work with us on those issues," Hutchinson said. The new traffic pattern would likely not affect the seminary's operation, as far as students are concerned, because the school's peak traffic hours are different than normal rush-hour traffic. But Hutchinson did say the seminary plans to build a new facility services building where the existing building now sits at the corner of North Street and Wingate Avenue. Maintenance vehicles located could be faced with having to travel further distances to reach their destinations. Dunlap said that was the biggest problem with the plan. Motorists traveling south on North Main Street who want to turn left onto North Street to reach downtown would have to go around the seminary if the new plan were adopted. Dunlap told commissioners that the traffic study done by engineers did not take into account changing traffic patterns that will result with the completion of the last two phases of the N.C. 98 Bypass. Phase II of the bypass, from South Main Street to Capital Boulevard, is scheduled for completion in 2006. The final phase will be completed about 2010. "This was a worst-case scenario," Dunlap said. "We looked at traffic the way we expect it to be in 2015 without taking the bypass into account," Dunlap said. Engineers also considered installing a system of roundabouts, or traffic circles that would eliminate stoplights and allow for the smooth merger of traffic into the travel lanes around the seminary. But Hopkins said space limitations might make that idea unmanageable. O'Donnell said Tuesday that updating the traffic study and considering changes now made sense even though the N.C. 98 Bypass hasn't been completed. "DOT has money available in the Moving Ahead fund and they are willing to do. The state is willing to do it now, I don't know if they would be willing to do it afterward," O'Donnell said. While town officials wait for the second phase of the bypass to be completed, O'Donnell said DOT may still move forward with plans to install a roundabout at the intersection of South Main Street and South Street.
Last Updated On: September 16, 2004
Copyright 2004 The Wake Weekly