Design/Construction Newsletter, Summer 2017

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Summer 2017

Roadway Project Highlight:

Sandy Forks Road Widening Project

Sandy Forks Road
The Sandy Forks Road Widening project includes Raleigh’s first median bioretention basin


The Sandy Forks Road Widening project is in the final stages of construction. What was once a beat-up bumpy two-lane road with worn footpaths along the shoulder is now a median divided roadway with sidewalks, fresh landscaping, and multiple stormwater devices to improve water quality. In addition, the roadway will soon include final pavement markings, separated bike lanes, educational signage, a few park benches, and public art. 

The next month will be extremely busy along the construction corridor while Carolina Sunrock completes the finishing touches along the roadway; including the installation of the last bioretention basin near the entrance to The Lakes Apartment complex. Pavement operations are taking place along the corridor beginning this week, while crews work to make Sandy Forks Road one of the smoothest rides in Raleigh.

Along with the new roadway improvements, this project includes public art and an educational component. Once the project is complete, there will be a few places along the corridor where you can stop and take a break on a park bench, or read some educational signage that details not only the history of water mills in the area but the environmental aspects of the project. The City of Raleigh’s Office of Art, as part of the Percent for Art program, selected Baltimore Artist Jann Rosen-Queralt, to create a large sculpture for the bioretention basin at The Lakes Apartment complex. The sculpture mimics a bio-retention zone, which is a man-made filtration device that feeds plants and trees while also removing pollutants. The sculpture is scheduled for installation later this month.  

Raleigh is coupling all these roadways improvements with sustainable construction practices in hopes to achieve the distinction of being one of North Carolina’s first Greenroads. Greenroads is a sustainability rating system for roadway design and construction projects. The City tested using this certification system and explored new technologies and sustainability best practices, resulting in a roadway that is environmentally friendly, multi-modal, and sustainable to the community. 

Design Construction Division Manager and Project Manager, Chris Johnson and the City’s Communication Department are putting together a series of videos that will showcase many of the projects sustainable features and explain some of the benefits of these features. The project is on schedule for completion in July. Stay tuned for more information and a ribbon cutting ceremony later this summer.

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Roadway Construction Updates

Buck Jones Road Widening Project

Buck Jones Road, June Construction Image
Shoring operations on Buck Jones Road across from Bashford Road

 

A 42-inch storm drain pipe that runs across Farm Gate Road was installed in mid-May, and shoring operations are underway near Bashford Road in preparation to install the east side of a new box culvert under Buck Jones Road. The west side portion of the culvert will be installed in a later phase of the project.

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Hillsborough Street Renewal Project, Phase II 

Hillsborough Street Construction Image
Grading and paving operations at the intersection of Brooks Avenue, Founders drive and Hillsborough Street


The contractor, Pipeline Utilities, anticipates switching construction activities to the north side of the street in mid-June. Currently, they are wrapping up some work at the Friendly Drive, Brooks Avenue, and Founders Drive intersection. They also finished installing a sanitary sewer main in the middle of the street from Daisy Street to Concord Street, and have just about completed installing the new water services to businesses along the north side of Hillsborough Street. 

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Lenoir & South Street Two-way Conversion Project

Lenoir & South Street construction image
Two-way traffic pavement markings along Lenoir Street

 

South Street has started being converted to a two-way street this week. The Contractor, Moffatt Pipe installed the new two-way street signage, and this week they are starting the conversion of South Street to two-way traffic. The conversion will start at the South Saunders Street intersection and run to East Street. The contractor will then move to Lenoir Street and initiate the conversion from East Street back towards South Saunders Street. Both streets are scheduled to be in a two-way configuration by the end of June. 

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Mitchell Mill Road Widening Project

Mitchell Mill Road construction image
New pavement is installed as part of the Mitchell Mill Road Widening Project

 

Private utility companies have wrapped up most of their work along the corridor. Rifenburg Construction recently installed concrete curb and gutter, driveway aprons, and asphalt along the north side of the roadway from U.S. 401/Louisburg Road to Round Oak Drive. The shoring operations in preparation of the box culvert at the Forestville Road intersection are also underway.

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Sidewalk Project News:

Capital Blvd complete image
Recently completed sidewalks along Capital Boulevard between Spring Forest Road and Old Wake Forest Road


This spring saw the completion of three new sidewalk projects. 

  • Chapanoke Road has an upgraded transit stop at Ileagnes Road and new sidewalks on both sides of the street from Ileagnes Road to Wilmington Street. 
  • Clark Avenue has a new sidewalk on the north side of the street between Woodburn Road and Bellwood Drive. 
  • Capital Boulevard’s new sidewalks are from Spring Forest Road to Old Wake Forest Road. The sidewalks are on both sides of the street, and new transit stop pads were installed as well new pedestrian signals and mid-road crossing islands.

This summer Raleigh will see more sidewalk gaps filled in around the city. Currently, new sidewalks are being installed at Blount Street, Person Street and Hoke Street; Hoke Street will also see the new sidewalk installed between Person Street and Blount Street. Other street’s scheduled for installations later this summer are Raleigh Boulevard, Oakwood Avenue, and Millbrook Road.

The City not only installs sidewalks on busy thoroughfares throughout the City but we install sidewalks along neighborhood streets as part of the City’s Petition Program. During the summer and fall months sidewalks crews will install new sidewalks on Tyrell Road, Melbourne Road, Ravenwood Drive, Northclift Drive, Orleans Place and Cranbrook Drive.  

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Design News:

Our engineers are busy working on the design of a number of street and sidewalk projects throughout the City. 

We currently have four traffic calming projects in the design phase, Cross Links, Currituck Drive, Milburnie Road and Town and Country Road.  We also have four street petition projects at different stages of the design phase; they are Breeze Road, Churchill Road, Fox Road and Lorimer Road. Petition and Traffic Calming Projects are citizen-initiated projects. Most of these projects are designed and engineered in-house by our project engineers with the help of our CADD team. Lorimer Road is an exception to that rule due to the length and scope of the project. 

Our engineer team is also working on nine Capital Improvement Projects.These projects are generally along high traffic roadways and are part of the City’s long-term planning process and are a bridge between the City’s Comprehensive Plan and short-term planning for infrastructure. 

To stay up to date on Raleigh’s street projects you can visit our Current Street Project page and check the status of our upcoming as well as our under construction projects throughout the City. 

Staff Highlight

This spring Roadway Design & Construction welcomed three new employees to our team.

David Savage

David Savage

David Savage is the newest edition to our CIP Project Engineering team. 

Welcome David, and tell us a little bit about yourself.

David - I’m a North Carolina native.  My hometown is Monroe.  I have a BS in Civil Engineering from NCSU.  Previously, I’ve worked nineteen years with the State of North Carolina. Three years of my career was in private practice, and nine years working in the private sector. For the last four years, I’ve lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma and worked for Leidos Engineering and Braden Manufacturing. Coming to work for the City of Raleigh is very much a homecoming for me. I’m a long time season ticket holder at Wolfpack Football but have only seen three games in the last four years. That’s about to change! I am a passionate car nut and currently own seven. Some of them are somewhat rare and a couple of then are as boring as a waiting room. I have two grown sons Nathan and Jason who are my best friends and partners in almost everything. I sincerely thank Sylvester Percival and Chris Johnson for giving me this opportunity and the Roadway Design & Construction team for being extraordinarily welcoming and helpful.

picture of Jeanna Benoy

Jeanna Benoy

We are also excited to welcome Jeanna Benoy to the team. Jeanna comes to the Roadway Design & Construction Division after working with the City of Raleigh Clerk’s Office for nine months. As the Division’s Administrative Assistant, she is responsible for assisting the Project Supervisors in managing payments and receipts for Capital Improvement Projects, Petition Projects, and record keeping for contracts. 

Welcome Jeanna, we would love to hear more about your background. 

Jeanna – I returned to the area after living and working in Louisville, Kentucky for 16 years. I graduated from Cary High School, and have a BA in English, and earned my MBA in 2005. I am also a Veteran of the US Army, mother, graphic designer, and enjoy bluegrass music. I’m very excited about working with the City of Raleigh’s Roadway Design & Construction team. They are a great group of hard working people.  

Picture of Dennis Fone

Dennis Fone

Dennis Fone is the newest edition our Contract Inspections Group, 

Welcome Dennis, tell us about your background, and what you like to do in your spare time.

Dennis - I started with the city in 2015, as a Transportation Inspector. I worked with the annual resurfacing contract and also the bi-annual street survey. My current position is newly named Engineering Specialist, and presently I am working a new contract for sidewalk improvements on a four street project package which will end this fall. I come from the town of Carrboro where I worked as Construction Inspector for over five years. During that time I also worked part-time for the Town of Cary in their Solid Waste Division. I am also a member of APWA since 2013. In my spare time, I like to do projects around the house. But, mostly I enjoy being around friends and family when I have the time. I am happy to be part of a well-oiled machine of 6 inspectors under a highly experienced supervisor, and I fully enjoy the variety this position involves.

Have a questions or feedback email us we want to hear from you.

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