Worst Traffic Jams

Posted: September 8, 2009

What are North Carolina’s worst traffic jams? Please give this question some thought and weigh in with you opinions.

Returning from a holiday weekend at the coast I drove through Craven County Monday in a driving rain storm. Havelock was gridlock on US 70 after a trailer with a boat overturned in the median. Police were doing their best to help motorists make their way through the congested area. We didn’t get a break until after New Bern. The motoring molasses returned when we hit the US-70 bypass and I-40 interchange past Clayton.

Monday through Friday Interstate 40 at US 1 in Cary is a perennial trouble spot. You've heard us talk about the Buck Jones Blues at Buck Jones Road. Other nominees in the Triangle include Davis Drive, Leesville Road and I-540 in north Raleigh.

What other trouble spots deserve to make North Carolina's worst traffic jam list?

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23 Comments

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Have you ever encountered the merge of the Hwy 64 bypass onto the beltline in the mornings all the way through Wake Forest Raod exit

katizs
September 9, 2009 9:14 a.m.

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Had to be the ice storm (although there wasn't much ice)we had a few years ago when Raleigh was in complete gridlock. It took me 8.5 hours to get from downtown to north Raleigh. Some kids were kept at school all night and some were stranded on buses. It was the perfect storm as far as traffic was concerned.

tdebord
September 9, 2009 8:27 a.m.

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There is a back way around Boone between Hwy 421 and Hwy 321. coming in on 421 you turn left at the stoplight before the New River bridge on to Bamboo Rd. Take it to Wilson Ridge Rd. where you turn right and follow it to Deerfield Rd. which comes by the hospital and up to a stoplight on 321 just as it leaves Boone heading to Blowing Rock. If you miss the turn on Wilson Ridge, you can catch Deerfield on up the road since it dead ends into Bamboo. It can save as much as an hour. There is also the 105 Bypass that runs between Hwy.105 and 421 on the west side of Boone. Check it out on Google maps. You can beat the traffic if you don't mind some real mountain roads.

Wheelman
September 8, 2009 6:15 p.m.

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Guess I spoke too soon about Greenville today - I just got back and it was not bad at all!

Riverracer8
September 8, 2009 5:13 p.m.

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Ive been through Boone a lot lately, and even though they are widening 421 in town, they seem to only build up, not out. Not too many one story buildings there. A few weeks ago, we had to exit the Parkway and mosey our way through town. So when you find yourself in a traffic jam there, or anywhere else, just grit your teeth and think of England.

dentech
September 8, 2009 4:28 p.m.

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First thing in the a.m. Wake Forest Road--Exit 10. It is always backed up and rather than wait in line like everyone else, people will fly by you and exit from the straight lane. They need to hand out tickets to these people!!!!

commpropsusan
September 8, 2009 3:24 p.m.

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Death Valley in Greensboro is nightmare pretty much every day. The new bypass alleviatd a little of it, but it's still a mess.

Killian
September 8, 2009 3:00 p.m.

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Apex NC: Highway 55 from Beaver Creek all the way through town and down as far as Rt 1.

Must be in the water down here ... 55 in Apex is about as bad or worse that, still is, the nightmare that is Davis Drive from Cary into the Park.

Lather, rinse, repeat

hkypky
September 8, 2009 2:27 p.m.

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To Toffton, you can't imagine what it is like to LIVE off Hwy 54 in Morrisville - just a nightmare! Some of the worst in my opinion is the area between Burlington and Greensboro; and of course anywhere on I-40 between Chapel Hill and Clayton, Monday through Friday. I-85 around Charlotte is ALWAYS backed up! As for the App State game, we really have not ever had any real problems - just go with an attitude of sitting in traffic for a while but it does move! I also suggest parking OUTSIDE the football stadium area and walking - great exercise!

Raleighnative58
September 8, 2009 2:14 p.m.

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I40 East heading into Black Mountain-some folks just can't seem to make it up the hill. I85 North OR South around Charlotte, especially after a race. The area by Concord Mills Mall is a very large parking lot. RTP-need I say more?