Kaplan Drive Traffic Calming Project

The Kaplan Drive project was completed this winter. The roadway now includes a raised intersection at Kaplan Drive and Lorimer Road, landscaped medians and landscaped bump outs, crosswalks with pedestrian refuge, and new handicap accessible ramps. This new infrastructure will slow traffic along the corridor, providing improved street safety for all modes of travel.

Leesville Road Widening Project

The Leesville Road Widening Project is open to traffic. The project widened Leesville Road to a multi-lane roadway with a raised median, bike lanes, sidewalks on both sides of the street and improvements to intersections along the corridor, from I-540 to New Leesville Road. Final pavement markings will be installed when temperatures are high enough to allow installation. A separate landscape project is also scheduled for completion this fall to install street trees along shoulders and median areas of the corridor.

Transylvania Avenue Street Petition Project: This neighborhood initiated project started construction in January 2016. The roadway will be widened, and curb and gutter will be added from Hertford Street to Beaufort Street. The corridor is now closed to through traffic, and the installation of new water and sanitary sewer facilities is underway.

Six Forks Road Sidewalk Project: The Six Forks Road Sidewalk Project will provide new sidewalk from Wake Forest Road to Coleridge Road. Contractors are currently working on extending the box culvert where Six Forks Road crosses Big Branch Creek. The extended box culvert will provide sufficient room for a sidewalk to run along the creek crossing.  

I-40 Retrofits and Pedestrian Improvement Project, Part A: This project will provide sidewalks and pedestrian improvements to I-40 overpasses at Buck Jones Road, Avent Ferry Road, and Rock Quarry Road. Currently, the City’s contractor is working at the Avent Ferry Location. Recently, bridge rail forms were poured and fill dirt is being brought in to build the shoulder area up so that sidewalks can be installed.  The work at Buck Jones Road and Rock Quarry Road will begin in the coming months.

Sandy Forks Road Widening Project

This month’s feature is on the Sandy Forks Road Widening Project.

Sandy Forks will be Raleigh’s first Greenroads project. The Greenroads Rating System is a sustainability rating system for roadway design and construction projects. Greenroads certification was established in 2010 and is a very similar process to the LEED certification program for building projects.

One of the sustainability features of this project are the three stormwater management devices along the corridor. These water treatment devices are called bioretention areas, and they will treat stormwater runoff to reduce erosion and increase water quality to the downstream watershed.

The Raleigh Television Network show, Under Construction, recently featured this project. Chris Johnson, Design/Construction Division Manager, was interviewed and gave some updates and information regarding the project.

On November 3, 2015, the construction contract for this project was awarded to Carolina Sunrock LLC. Construction began in early January and construction crews have started clearing operations and installation of erosion control measures along the corridor and watermain relocation work near Six Forks Road. Storm drainage and road grading work is anticipated to begin in March.

A preliminary concept design for the Sandy Forks Road public art installation is now available to view on the website.  We anticipate that the sculpture will have some rainwater interactivity. In addition to the public art, we anticipate incorporating educational signage along the corridor that will touch on the stormwater aspect of the project as well as historical and cultural resources in the North Raleigh area. 

Talal Shahbander

Welcome, Talal Shahbander to Design/Construction. Talal joined the team this January 2016 as a Senior Project Engineer.

Talal is a professional engineer with over 25 years of diversified experience in both the private and the public sectors.  He is excited about applying his knowledge of transportation projects from the planning process through design and construction. He also looks forward to helping implement the City’s programs for improving collaborative efforts with the citizens of Raleigh.

Talal moved to Raleigh from Arizona and has family in the southeastern United States where he previously resided before moving to Arizona. Talal looks forward to hiking the beautiful trails with his children and dog Dundee and is excited about being close to his son, who is attending college at Duke University. 

Robert Busby

Robert Busby joined the Design/Construction team in January 2016 as a Senior Engineering Inspector. Robert will oversee projects such as new and replacement of roadways, sidewalks, and infrastructure throughout the City. Robert has been working for the City since 2013 as a Right of Way Inspector, overseeing private development infrastructure construction.

Robert comes to us by way of Florida, where he was the Lead Inspector for the City of Ocala Capital Improvement Program. He has been in the construction industry over 30 years starting as a pipefitter, going into project management and ultimately civil engineering attending Indian River College in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Born in Miami Florida, Robert grew up on the ocean along the east coast as a long-liner fisherman and treasure hunting diver. He is an Ordained Minister and Licensed Christian Counselor spending the last 16 years volunteering in America’s prisons. He and his wife Robin, have two children and six grandchildren who love the outdoors as a family.