Six Forks Road project cost has skyrocketed, city needs to buy land

The original cost for a two-mile project along Six Forks Road between Rowan Street and Lynn Road was about $31.3 million after voters approved it as part of the 2017 transportation bond.

A city estimate puts the cost closer to $100 million now. In May, a presentation to the Raleigh City Council put the estimate as high as $116 million.

Allen Oakley lives along Six Forks Road. He feels captive by the city’s improvement project for the road.

“We’re stuck,” Oakley said. “We’re hostages.”

Oakley’s home is on the corner of North Glen Drive and is in the path of the project to widen Six Forks Road.

“This project has taken so long, and in my mind, they messed it up royally,” Oakley said.

The city needs to buy land along Six Forks Road to complete the project. A year ago, the Raleigh City Council approved moving forward with making offers to property owners like Oakley. City leaders set a deadline of May.

In July 2022, the Raleigh City Council approved a plan to move forward with making offers to purchase 96 properties for the project. The plan had a deadline of May 2, 2023, before the city would take steps to condemn those properties.

Some of the 96 properties are tiny slivers for utility or construction easements. Others, like the Oakley family's home, are entire properties with homes and structures.

However, most property owners along Six Forks Road are still waiting.

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Oakley said an appraiser came by his home in February. He expected an offer from the city to buy his property by now. It hasn’t happened.

“The price for the real estate is not going to get any less, so the longer it takes to do the project, the more cost the project’s going to be,” Oakley said.

Raleigh Assistant City Manager Michael Moore explained the city’s position.

“We’ve seen considerable escalation particularly in property values, and as we’re pulling the project together, we’re trying to find a way to calibrate the project to meet the budget,” Moore said.

Right now, the city is short about $56 million to do the full project. It could mean breaking it up into smaller phases.

“Some version of this project will continue,” Moore said. “It’s just a matter of how do we deliver that project in a way that’s the best value for the city and for the taxpayers.”

Oakley explained why he doesn't want to sell the home to another buyer other than the city.

“Because they’ve gotten an appraisal on the house, if we move before we get the official letter saying, 'This is what we’re offering for your house, as part of the process we lose the moving expenses,' we lose the mortgage assistance money," Oakley said. "So, we’d probably lose $10,000 to $15,000.”

The uncertainty is leaving the Oakley family in limbo.

“Something needs to be done,” Oakley said. “They just need to decide what they’re going to do and go ahead and do it. “

The city is waiting for $14 million in federal funding to go ahead with buying properties like Oakley's. The city already has $46.1 million budgeted for the project.

“I think the city is guilty of thinking this project to death,” Oakley said.

The city expects to decide later this year on how to move forward with the project.

“We’d like to have a knowledge of what’s really going to happen so we can get on with our lives,” Oakley said.

The goal is to start construction next year.