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Site SearchCLAYTON, N.C. — The newly opened Clayton Bypass got up to speed Wednesday. After morning-rush congestion Tuesday, traffic flowed smoothly from the bypass onto I-40 westbound for most of the morning.
Brief back-ups at the merge were evident between 6:45 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., but they quickly cleared.
On Tuesday, I-40 speeds averaged about 30 mph at one point. Westbound delays began just past Highway 42 and continued beyond the bypass.
The state Department of Transportation estimated drivers could save about 15 minutes by taking the U.S. Highway 70 Bypass around Clayton – for 22 hours of the day.
The other two hours are during the morning rush hour as cars flow – often slowly – toward Raleigh and the Research Triangle Park.
The backup is, DOT says, an Interstate 40 issue and not something the bypass can help. The bypass puts drivers into the I-40 line farther east than other routes, and westbound I-40 is still westbound I-40.
DOT says the bypass is intended to ease congestion on U.S. 70, not the interstate, and to give drivers better information about their commutes so they can decide what routes to take.
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The "equity formula" that robbed Wake to pay Johnston will rob Raleigh again to pay for the I-40 widening in the near future.
The Highway trust fund was not raided, it did not receive the sales tax on new car sales it never should have received to begin with. "Living within your budget" somehow doesn't apply to DOT in the eyes of people on here.
June 11, 2008 11:28 a.m.
June 11, 2008 11:27 a.m.
June 11, 2008 11:17 a.m.
Also remember that for every minute of delay it takes 4 minutes for the traffic to recover. So if there is one indecisive driver (aside from accidents) going too slow for example, the ripple effect occurs at that spot long after they're gone.
June 11, 2008 11:12 a.m.
The problem is our legislature took money from the trust fund that could have widened I-40 and put it in the budget so it would balance. They did not want to cut some other program or budget-so they robbed Peter to pay Paul. This type of crazyness will continue as long as one party dominates Jones St. GO FIGURE!!
June 11, 2008 11:08 a.m.