NC-42 Widening (Dublin Rd. to E. Salisbury St.)

Description

The North Carolina Department of Transportation will widen a portion of NC 42 from Salisbury Street to the intersection with Dublin Road and the entrance to the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA.

The construction will consist of widening NC 42 from two to three lanes along with a center left-turn lane. There will also be 2 feet added to the outside lane in addition to the two feet of existing gutter, creating a bicycle lane. The plan also includes concrete curbs, gutters, and sidewalks on both sides of NC 42 in this portion. The project aims to improve traffic operations and congestion to address the safety concerns of NC 42.

The project was delayed from commencing construction in 2020 for two reasons. First, the NCDOT’s budget was significantly reduced due to its spending on hurricane recovery. Second, the NC Supreme Court ruled that the NCDOT could “no longer reserve land for future roads without buying the privately-owned property,” which has delayed settlements with property owners of pending rights-of-way. Construction is now scheduled for the fiscal year of 2021-22, and the right of way is currently in progress.

When construction begins, the project is expected to impact numerous properties along E. NC 42. The expansion is planning to take large chunks of land from private property along the road, potentially forcing people to relocate. We urge those who will be negatively affected by the construction to contact the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm.