CARY, N.C. — Residents near Highway 55 in Cary are worried about a proposal that would take the last piece of open space in the area and turn it into 491 houses.

Many feel the development is too much for the roads and the schools to handle. Several neighborhoods are rallying against it.

"The safety issue is a major concern. Currently under the conditions we have now, we can't get safely across the street," resident Gary Lobdell said.

The town of Cary said roads in that area will get better. Highway 55 is already being widened and an extension of Interstate 540 is on the way.

Cary planning director Jeff Ulma said the town has not decided on the total number of homes, but he said traffic studies show the roads can support the current proposal.

The planning and zoning board will take up the issue on March 21. The Cary Town Council is expected to vote on it in April.