It’s not just the Triangle’s biggest cities seeing tremendous growth. Subdivisions are popping up in once-rural communities, such as the farmland and forests of northern Harnett County.
Rep. Howard Penny, R-Harnett, said the county is reviewing more than 4,400 new lots, bringing approximately 11,200 new residents.
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"You can imagine the impact that’s going to have on 401," Penny said.
U.S. Highway 401 is the main artery through the northern part of Harnett County, and it’s just two lanes most of the way. Adding Fuquay-Varina’s increasing population to those limited lanes means major congestion.
Marion Miller has lived in the fast-growing town for 20 years and said rush hour seems to last all day.
"It starts around 7 in the morning, and it’ll go up until about 11," she said. "It starts again at 12 noon like you would not believe."
Planners are studying the corridor between Lillington and Fuquay-Varina to look at ways to plan for future growth. Ideas include expanding U.S. 401 and roads connecting it with neighborhoods, improving intersections and looking at safer railroad crossings. Another part of the study is examining the impact of a future U.S. 401 Bypass, which would divert some traffic around congested Fuquay-Varina.
Miller says growth is a fact of life in this area — like it or not.
"People have got to realize that we’re growing and have a little more patience," she said. "We are at a new time in Fuquay."
Penny believes Fuquay-Varina’s growth will spill into northern Harnett County for a long time to come.
"I mention to my neighbors in Wake County, we have something in Harnett County that you don’t," he said. "It’s called ‘land.’"
People can let planners know what they think about the future of the U.S. 401 corridor. They are collecting your ideas with an online survey until April 9.