A four-lane section of Person Street near the Cape Fear River will become three-lane as part of a plan to improve safety.
The section to be upgraded is one-third of a mile and runs from Eastern Boulevard to the Person Street Bridge and Water Street, according to a news release from the N.C. Department of Transportation.
It becomes congested during peak traffic hours, the release said
“It’s due for resurfacing, and our traffic engineers are always looking for trouble spots and any congestion,” said DOT spokesman Andrew Barksdale. “It’s now four lanes. Basically, we’ll make it one through-lane in each direction.”
A center left-turn lane also will be added, the DOT release said.
Barksdale said marked crosswalks also will be added.
“We hope people will be using those,” he said. “That will be an enhancement for pedestrians, as well. This small stretch of road doesn’t really need four lanes all the way through. … (The changes) will make this stretch of road function better.”
Dual left-turn lanes will be added for traffic headed south on Eastern Boulevard, DOT said.
Crosswalks and a pedestrian signal will be installed at Person and Broad streets.
The street will not be shut down while the work is done, so no detours are planned, Barksdale said.
“Whenever we do the work, people can expect some slowdowns and delays,” he added. “That’s true of any resurfacing. But after it’s all over, it will have a smooth road and smooth ride.”
Miriam Hughes, a manager at the Hardee's restaurant off Eastern Boulevard, said the business has not been contacted by DOT about the upcoming roadwork.
But she said she is not concerned about the temporary impact on drivers on that stretch of road or any inconvenience to her customers.
“Because they'll find their way to Hardee's,” she said.
About 8,200 vehicles pass through the section of road every day, Barksdale said.
DOT said it has awarded a $566,000 contract to Barnhill Contracting Co. for the Person Street project. The contractor plans to start the work in August, weather permitting, and will have until the end of the year to complete the work.
Michael Futch covers Fayetteville and education for CityView TODAY. He can be reached at mfutch@cityviewnc.com. Have a news tip? Email news@CityViewTODAY.com.
