Project Background

On October 8, 2019, Cary citizens approved moving forward with several transportation and parks-related projects as part of the 2019 Shaping Cary’s Tomorrow 2019 Bond Referendum including $5M for our Intersection Improvement Program.

The purpose of this program is to identify and help address intersections that experience higher levels of congestion or safety-related concerns. Potential improvements could include turn lane improvements as well as upgrades to pedestrian signals, crosswalks, and ramps.

The staff has identified several intersections to be included in the FY2020 Intersection Improvements Project and we are moving forward to implement associated operational and safety improvements.

Project Overview

The project consists of widening Kildaire Farm Road from Byrum Street and Walnut Street.

 

The new alignment will eliminate the current skew motorists' experience as northbound Kildaire Farm Road crosses Walnut Street. Improvements also include increased pedestrian space and safety with the installation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals.

The watermains in this area were installed in the 1960s and ‘70s and are at the end of their useful life. As part of the project, they are being replaced with larger diameter pipes that have a lifespan of over 100 years. Approximately 1,200 linear feet of new pipe is being installed to support redevelopment and ensure reliability.  

Improved corridor aesthetics along Kildaire Farm Road include the installation of decorative street lighting and signage, a new landscaped median, and buried utility lines.

This project was designed and is being constructed in coordination with other downtown developments. Together, these projects will create a better experience for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists by increasing mobility in the growing Downtown Area. 

Project Status

July 17, 2023

Construction operations related to the Kildaire Farm Road Improvements Project are planned to be substantially complete by the end of this month. 

 

This week's activities include backfilling the new median island with topsoil and mulch, making pavement repairs along Kildaire Farm Road prior to resurfacing and completing the street light installation.

Next week we plan to finish asphalt paving, install new traffic signs, pedestrian push buttons, pavement markings and new curb ramps at Kildaire and Walnut.

 July 6, 2023 

This week work began on the landscape median.

 

Street lights are also being installed.

 This project remains on schedule to be substantially completed in August 2023. 

June 28, 2023

Walnut Street is anticipated to be open Thursday, June 29, 2023, around noon. The contractor will then move operations toward the vicinity of Byrum Street. 

Next week, the contractor will focus efforts on the installation of curb ramps, pedestrian push buttons and the proposed median near the Walnut Street and Kildaire Farm Road intersection.  

This project will be substantially completed in August 2023.

June 13, 2023

Yesterday, Walnut Street was closed at Kildaire Farm Road and now road construction is underway. It is a team effort with Cary Staff working with the contractor to help expedite the work.

 

REMINDER: The parking garage remains OPEN with access from Walnut Street.  

This project is on schedule to be complete this Summer 2023.

June 5, 2023

With the old utility poles removed, the contractor is making good progress on roadway improvements including completion of the sidewalk installation. 

 

Beginning Monday, June 12, 2023, Walnut Street will be CLOSED between Kildaire Farm Road and Walker Street.  During this closure, both Kildaire Farm Road and Walker Street will remain open to current traffic patterns.

The closure is scheduled to begin after 9 a.m. on Monday, June 12 and is expected to reopen before the July 4 holiday.

This closure will allow the contractor to widen Kildaire Farm Road through the Walnut Street intersection including installation of additional concrete street pavers, new curb ramps and pedestrian push button signals.

Traffic detours (see below) will be in place routing traffic to Maynard Road and Kildaire Farm Road.

 

May 10, 2023

We completed burying overhead utilities along the project and removed the old power poles. 

This is a major milestone for the project and allows the contractor to focus on roadway improvements. 

 

The next construction update will include details on the upcoming Walnut Street closure which is anticipated to take place early June with a two (2) week duration.  This closure is needed to widen Kildaire Farm Road through the Walnut Street intersection and will include additional concrete street paver installation.

May 3, 2023

The overhead to underground utility conversion is complete. The utility poles are scheduled to be removed later this month. Roadwork is underway on Kildaire Farm Road.  The contractor began placing curb and gutter forms near the intersection of Kildaire Farm Road and Walnut Street and will begin pouring concrete this week.  

The contractor will also begin removing the driveway apron fronting the Cary Regional Library. This driveway is no longer needed to access the Downtown Cary Park. This work will result in additional aesthetic enhancements, increased buffer for pedestrians and provide additional guidance to drivers navigating the curve. 

Please be on the lookout for new traffic patterns as roadway construction continues.

March 31, 2023  

The project is on schedule to be completed this summer. In advance of beginning the road work in May, utility work continues converting all the overhead utilities to underground. This week, AT&T will complete converting their facilities. Next week, Cary is scheduled to complete converting its existing overhead fiber into the newly installed underground conduit. 

Once Cary is finished, only Spectrum will remain. They have been working the past several weeks in anticipation of planned temporary outages for several thousand customers.  Next week they will be sending outage notifications to their residential and commercial customers as they complete converting their facilities to underground in April. 

Significant work and coordination is associated with each of these utility conversions. Provisions are in place for each facility, in advance of the fiber outage, so they operate during the outage until connectivity is restored. 

 

March 10, 2023

Duke Energy completed their underground conversion and removed their facilities from the utility poles.  Next, Spectrum, ATT and Cary (visible in the picture below) are scheduled to begin removing their facilities. By early May, the utility poles are scheduled to be removed and road work will begin. 

February 17, 2023

 

The underground conduit installation is complete. Installation of the underground power cables is nearly complete.

Next week, Duke will test their new underground facilities and will energize the underground facilities by the end of this month. 

During the first week of March, Duke will remove their facilities from the utility poles. Other utility providers, including AT&T, Spectrum, and Cary fiber, will soon follow, transferring their facilities into the newly installed conduits.

The pictures below were taken from the top floor of the Lee & Associates building currently under construction at the SE corner of Walnut Street and Kildaire Farm Road.

 

February 7, 2023 

We will be removing an existing utility pole and providing underground power to the traffic signal at the corner of Kildaire Farm Road and Walnut Street. 

This closure will provide a work zone for the Contractor to bore under Kildaire Farm Road. After today's morning commute, Contractors will be closing the outside lane of Kildaire Farm Road between Academy Street and Walnut Street as shown below:

 

Traffic impacts are planned from 9AM to 3PM beginning on Tuesday (2/7) and ending Friday (2/10).  Two-way traffic will be maintained and flaggers will be onsite to monitor traffic operations.

January 27, 2023

The conduits are now contained within the green pad mounted enclosure shown below. The inner workings of the cabinet allow for voltage levels that are suitable for commercial and residential use.

Spectrum and AT&T will begin their work next week. The overhead to underground utility conversion is anticipated to be completed this Spring and roadway improvements are scheduled to follow.  

January 20, 2023

Duke finished the utility work needed to convert their overhead utilities to underground. This week they began installing cable inside the conduits near Pleasants Avenue. These conduits will tie into pad mounted enclosures housing the electrical infrastructure to support existing and future development. 

Contractors performing overhead and underground utility work near the intersection of Byrum Street and Kildaire Farm Road. 

 

 December 21, 2022

The overhead to underground utility conversion continues including close coordination with Duke, AT&T, Spectrum, Google and Cary Departments (traffic signal and communications fiber). Each utility has a specified conduit quantity and diameter needed to support current and planned facilities. In total, nearly three miles of conduit is being installed for a road project that is just over 1,000 feet in length. Installation is nearly 50% complete. 

Cary’s contractor installs conduit for the utility companies to convert their overhead facilities to underground. 

In early 2023, concurrent with conduit installation, work needed to switch to the underground utilities will begin.

December 1, 2022

Kildaire Farm Road is now open to traffic and will return to the standard traffic pattern of one lane in each direction. The new waterline has been installed successfully and the utility trenches have been constructed. Next, we focus our attention on storm drainage installation and continuing efforts on conduit installation necessary to complete the overhead to underground utility conversion. Contractor may require intermittent daytime lane closures that will be accomplished with the use of flaggers and will have minimal impact on motorists.

November 23, 2022

On November 7, the Contractor closed Kildaire Farm Road from Pleasants Avenue to Walnut Street and detoured traffic to Maynard Road. This closure was required to install new waterlines and several conduits under Kildaire Farm Road and Byrum Street.

The installation of conduits and manhole was required for the Contractor to begin burying the overhead utility lines. 

The waterline installation is substantially complete and the remaining work needed to bury the utility lines can be accomplished under a temporary lane closure while Kildaire Farm Road is open to traffic. 

Kildaire Farm Road is planned to be open to traffic on or before Thursday, December 1, 2022.