Raleigh approves $56.1 million to widen 1 mile on Six Forks Road

The Raleigh City Council voted Tuesday to unanimously move forward with widening Six Forks Road between Rowan Street and Millbrook Road.

The city plans to expand the 1-mile stretch of Six Forks Road from four lanes to six lanes divided by a median with 8-foot-wide walking and bike paths. It will cost the city an estimated $56.1 million.

"It really does speak to the purpose, which is making sure this a safe multimodal corridor," said Raleigh Mobility Strategy And Infrastructure Manager Kenneth Ritchie.

The original plan, proposed in 2013, called for six lanes on Six Forks Road between Millbrook and Lynn roads, or about 1.7 miles.

"This has been something that’s been promised and not delivered," Mayor Pro Tem Jonathan Melton said.

The project was budgeted at $31.7 million in 2017, but costs for construction materials and labor have continued to rise.

Tuesday's decision allowed the city to move forward with buying land along Six Forks Road. The delays have kept property owners along the road in limbo. The city will need to buy pieces of their land to widen Six Forks Road.

Allen Oakley lives along a stretch of Six Forks Road that the city would need to purchase. The home he and his family bought 10.5 years ago is in the path of the project.

"It's progress, but we have an answer now and we can move on," Oakley said.

For years, city leaders have tried to sort out how to move forward with the project to make Six Forks Road safer and reduce traffic congestion near North Hills.

The city expects construction to start in spring 2026 with construction taking two years to complete.