Academy Street Construction Starts Today

Cary, NC — Thursday, May 28, 2015 marked the groundbreaking for the re-vamp of Academy Street, Downtown Cary’s major thoroughfare, and Cary honored the occasion with a street party.

Construction Starts Thursday, June 4, 2015

But, now that construction is about to begin, what can downtown drivers expect in terms of road closures and delays? I got in touch with Kyle Hubert, Senior Engineer for the Academy Streetscape project, to learn more about what we can expect as plans unfold.

Construction was supposed to start on Monday, June 1, 2015, but Hubert told me that, due to iffy weather, construction will start Thursday, June 4, 2015 (today) in the Kildaire Farm Road curve (two-way traffic will remain). Then, over the weekend, a new traffic control plan will be implemented. The following quote was issued from the Town of Cary:

Weather permitting, beginning June 4, 2015 at 9 am until June 5, 2015 at 6 pm, drivers should expect delays on Kildaire Farm Road from Walnut Street to Academy Street; the southbound lane on Kildare will be closed and traffic will be shifted to the center lane. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes; those who travel through the area should use caution.

Road Closures & Detours Begin June 8, 2015

The traffic control plan, found on the Town of Cary website, states that beginning June 8, 2015 at 10 am and continuing into the fall of 2015, drivers should expect delays in the following areas:

Traffic Control Updates – 

• Academy St. from Kildaire Farm Rd. to Park St. will be closed to northbound traffic
• The southbound lane of Academy St. from Park St. will remain open
• The eastbound lane on Dry Ave. & Kildaire Farm Rd. through Academy St. will remain open
• The westbound lane on Dry Ave. will be closed between Facility Ave. & Academy St.
• Walnut St. will be closed at Kildaire Farm Rd.
• Southbound traffic from Kildaire will not be able to access Walnut St.
• Traffic heading west on Walnut St. to Kildaire should follow the signed detour

Detours – 

• All Downtown Cary businesses will remain open during construction
• A signed detour will direct Academy St. traffic to Walker St. & Harrison Ave.

Pedestrian Access – For pedestrian access, a temporary sidewalk is located on the east-side of Academy Street construction

Photo from Town of Cary

Impact on C-Tran & Public Transit

The Academy Street Renovation Project will also impact the following routes:

• C-Tran’s northbound Route 5
• Kildaire Farm Express (afternoon only)
• Northbound Regional GoTriangle Route 301

A stop for local and regional transit systems has been added at South Walker Street just south of East Park Street to provide access to South Academy Street.

For the duration of construction, C-Tran and regional systems will not serve stops along:

• Northbound Kildaire Farm Rd. between Cornwall Rd. & Dry Ave.
• Northbound Academy St. between Dry Ave. & Chatham St.

Downtown Businesses are Open

Hubert wants the public to know that Downtown Cary businesses will remain open for the duration of the project, which is estimated to continue into the spring of 2016.

Stay Up-to-Date

Stay-up-to-date on the Academy Streetscape project by subscribing to the project’s email list on the Town of Cary website or by monitoring CaryCitizen for construction news and updates.

Read more about the Academy Street project.

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Story by Jessica Patrick. Lead photo by Hal Goodtree.