Traffic Delays Continue After Orange Barrels Gone

Just before Thanksgiving, the state Department of Transportation said major construction was done on the U.S. Highway 1/64  widening project in Cary.

But days before Easter, daily lane closures continue, frustrating drivers.

"I dread coming up here. I only come when I have to," driver Barbara Finch said.

"It's congested every time I come through here," driver Trey Edwards said. "Even when I go on lunch break, it takes me a while. By the time I get back, my lunch break is over."

"It's driving me nuts," driver Rebecca Little said. "It's been like this ever since I moved here, which is, like, six months ago, and it's still not done yet. I have no idea what they're even doing."

DOT engineers said crews have about another month of paving, patching up and detail work to complete. If crews get enough good weather and all goes as planned, the barrels and cones should be gone some time in May, they said.

Similarly, the Interstate 85 widening through Durham was declared complete back in September, but drivers run into daily delays.

Crews were to close the northbound ramp from I-85 to U.S. Highway 70 West  and the northbound ramp from Duke Street to I-85 Wednesday night, for example.

"The clean-up process and the final punch list takes time, so it could be a month or two months of that kind of work to finish up the job," DOT engineer Aaron Earwood said.