Another section of Raeford Road will be reconstructed, after the N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $48 million contract last week.

As part of the project, a raised median will be installed to improve safety along two miles of Raeford Road between east of Bunce Road and Buckhead Creek, which is east of Brighton Road. Drivers from side roads without traffic signals will be redirected into turning right. This design, known as a reduced conflict intersection, was shown to reduce serious crashes by 80% in a study by NCDOT in 2023.

The project, which will be a major facelift to one of the city’s most-traveled roads, also will include:

• Replacing concrete curbs and gutters and drainage structures;
• Relocating water and sewer lines from out of the roadway;
• Constructing sidewalks on both sides and installing pedestrian signals at existing traffic signals; and;
• Widening some of the roadway and its intersections

When this project is completed by the fall of 2028, the road will be resurfaced and look and function similarly to another major commercial corridor in the city: Skibo Road, which also has six lanes and raised medians.

Work on Raeford Road is expected to begin later this spring.

The contractor, Branch Civil Inc. of Roanoke, Virginia, will be required to maintain traffic on at least four of the six lanes during the daytime, but drivers could encounter more lane closures overnight, so they should slow down, obey all posted signs and be alert for workers and equipment through this section of Raeford Road during construction.

This work is an extension of the first segment of Raeford Road, from Old Raeford to Bunce Road, that began construction in 2022 and is expected to be completed this fall. The last section near the All American Freeway and the Harris Teeter is likely to start construction following the completion of this latest contract.