The Town of Cary is investing in the long-term health and resilience of Walnut Creek through a multi-phase stream stabilization and revegetation project. The project will improve water quality, reduce flood risk, restore habitat, and protect an important environmental corridor using nature-based solutions. Extending from Downtown Cary to the Town’s boundary with Raleigh, this effort will stabilize eroding streambanks, restore native vegetation, and strengthen a shared watershed that benefits communities throughout the region. Supported by two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Community Project Funding awards and local Town investment, the project represents a $3.76 million commitment to protecting Cary’s natural resources for current and future generations.

Learn more about the Walnut Creek Stream Stabilization & Revegetation Project here.

Cary is undergoing an update of its Stormwater and Watershed Protection Master Plan, which was last updated in 2013. The goal of this project is to update the plan with current operations, regulatory requirements, capital improvements and potential future financing options.

This project began in 2025 and is anticipated to be complete in 2026.

Contact

Jan Patterson, PE, CPESC

Senior Stormwater Project Manager

Dial 311 or (919) 469-4000 outside Cary

Stormwater CCTV Condition Assessment

This project seeks to inspect and assess stormwater infrastructure in Cary's right-of-way, deeded easements and on Cary property using Closed Circuit Television. Cary has contracted with Vision NC to inspect approximately 73,000 feet of stormwater pipes and structures. Staff will use this information to prioritize infrastructure assets to repair or replace.

The assessment area is from Chatham Street to Old Apex, Maynard and Kildaire Farm Road areas. Vision NC trucks will temporarily stop along these roads while they conduct the assessment, but no road closures are anticipated. Pipes assessed will be cleaned as needed, inventoried and given a ranking score for future prioritization. This project continues Cary's commitment to assessing and maintaining stormwater infrastructure.

This project began in Fall 2023 and is anticipated to be ongoing for the next several years. View the project schedule as a map below or on a full screen for easier viewing.

Edinburgh South Dr. and Gregson Dr. 

After responding to numerous reports of sinkholes, Cary found a failing metal stormwater pipe near the intersection of Edinburgh South and Gregson Drive.  To repair this hazard, a contractor will repair five existing stormwater pipes located in this public right-of-way, starting in the next month.

The contractor will use a trenchless repair method that installs a new protective liner inside the existing pipes, instead of digging up and replacing each one. This process strengthens the pipes, extends their service life, and greatly reduces the cost, the amount of excavation, noise, and disruption to nearby roads and properties.

The project will be completed in two phases to help maintain traffic flow and provide safe access through the work area. During both phases, certified traffic flaggers will be on site to safely direct vehicles and assist drivers as they travel through the construction zone. Temporary lane closures and minor traffic delays should be expected while work is in progress.

Phase 1 will repair the stormwater pipes located on the west and north sides of the intersection of Edinburgh South Drive and Gregson Drive. Phase 2 will repair the two parallel stormwater pipes that cross Edinburgh South Drive immediately east of the intersection.

Michael Mazanek, Stormwater Project Manager

Dial 311 or (919) 469-4000 outside Cary

Overview

This project addresses area drainage and flooding issues by replacing aging stormwater infrastructure at Lake Pine Dr. and adding a culvert along Brookgreen Dr. Taking safety and traffic flow into consideration, these sites will be under construction one after the other, not simultaneously. 

Details 

The primary components of the project on Lake Pine Dr. include:

• Removing six metal pipes
• Adding two larger box culverts to better align with the stream channel
• Reinforcing the stream channel immediately below the culvert

The primary component of the Brookgreen Dr. site is installing an additional culvert. 

This project continues Cary's commitment to upgrading aging stormwater infrastructure and addressing drainage issues to further protect our community from the impacts of flooding. 

Schedule

The Town is in the process of acquiring necessary easements in the project area; construction will be scheduled after this acquisition and when environmental permits have been approved.

Contact

Billy Lee, PE

Assistant Director of Stormwater and Floodplain Management

Jan Patterson, PE, CPESC

Senior Project Manager

Dial 311 or (919) 469-4000 outside Cary

Cary’s Departments of Public Works, Utilities, and Transportation have a range of projects throughout Cary’s jurisdiction to update, improve, and retrofit existing infrastructure. As projects in other departments are underway, the Stormwater Division assesses whether there are needed stormwater improvements in the area, and schedules the work to occur at the same time. This is to prevent additional disruption to our citizens and accomplish multiple goals in one project.

Current projects include:

Whitehall Way Sewer Improvements

This project is being undertaken as a collaborative effort between Utilities and Stormwater Departments. Due to streambank erosion, an underground sanitary sewer pipe has become exposed to daylight. As such, the pipe is currently unprotected and is at risk of being damaged. Without repairs, the pipe could begin to leak sewage directly into the stream. This could lead to a difficult and costly environmental mitigation.

Work on this project will include stabilizing and/or repairing the sewer pipe as necessary and refurbishing the eroded streambank with rock fill or to the suitable materials. All work associated with this project will be located on Cary-owned property.

108 Carrousel Lane Drainage Improvements

A drainage study was completed for 108 Carrousel Lane following Cary's Policy Statement 35 (Storm Drainage and Flood Mitigation Request) to understand the potential sources of flooding on the property and to identify solutions. To help move stormwater away from the area and reduce standing water, the Town will lower the elevation of the right-of-way between 108 and 110 Carrousel and install several new inlets. At this time, the project is being designed before construction plan and bid document preparation, and is anticipated to start in Fall/Winter 2026.

Contact

Richard Carter, PE

Senior Civil Designer

Dial 311 or (919) 469-4000 outside Cary

Cary’s jurisdiction includes multiple facilities and Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs). As owners of these devices, Cary pursues repairs, retrofits and improvements as necessary.

• Page Walker Drainage Improvement - this project will address structural flooding  in the basement of the historic Page Walker building. This project is still in the planning phase.

• Garmon Operations Center Stormwater Wetland - one of the regulatory SCMs at this facility requires repairs to the outlet pipe. Deterioration of the corrugated metal pipe requires the installation of a UV liner. The contract for this project has been awarded and construction is anticipated to begin in Spring 2026.

• 113 Palace Green Open Space Acquisition & Preservation - Plans have been developed to demolish this residential structure and preserve the floodplain open space. This area will be replanted with native trees and shrubs. Demolition is anticipated to occur in Spring/Summer 2026.

Contact

Billy Lee, Assistant Director of Stormwater and Floodplain Management

Dial 311 or (919) 469-4000 outside Cary