The Price of Growth is a Two-Way Street in Apex

Betty Stephens lives on North Mason Street, which is being widened by the Town of Apex.

Stephens has lived here for 12 years and says it has been miserable for the past couple of months.

She cannot get her car in and out; she cannot keep it clean, and she cannot hear the TV when she watches it.

Some neighbors are upset that the town cut down their trees.

Others say their house shakes. "I got a computer inside that was vibrating, and stuff was falling off the wall," one man says.

The town approved the project because so many people take the road to Apex Middle School every day. Town officials decided to widen the road to make it safer for school buses and for kids, who will have a sidewalk to use.

Officials sympathize with residents who believe there should have been another path taken, but they say the price of growth is two-way street.

"We're trying to do something good for the community as a whole," says David Hughes, director of engineering. "Unfortunately, they have to suffer a little bit. We're trying to minimize that inconvenience, but unfortunately, we can't take it all away."

The town says the project will take another three to four weeks. Until then, contractors have been told to stop construction each afternoon by 4:00 and to keep the neighborhood as neat as possible.