The traffic congestion and safety needs on U.S. 15-501 and U.S. 1 were identified in 2011 as part of the
Moore County Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The process involved nearly 500 members of the public, who provided detailed input about five focus areas in Moore County, including the subject corridors.
Based on input from the 2011 meetings, as well as safety and congestion concerns, North Carolina and local agencies in 2015 prioritized the U.S. 15-501 and U.S. 1 corridors for state funding.
Following coordination with the town of Aberdeen, the N.C. Department of Transportation segmented the U.S. 1 corridor into two phases. Construction of the section south of Knight Street ( U-5815A) will be delayed until 2027. The section north of Knight Street ( U-5815B) will move forward, with construction scheduled to begin in 2024.
Traffic Analysis
Studies examined several potential solutions for the U.S. 1 and U.S. 15-501 corridors. Based on traffic projections, a four-lane
synchronized street is anticipated to operate at acceptable levels of service until approximately 2035 on U.S. 1, and until approximately 2040 on U.S. 15-501.
The studies found that after 2035 on U.S. 1, and after 2040 on U.S. 15-501, traffic would increase considerably due to increased congestion. At that point, a six-lane synchronized street would be needed to handle traffic volumes, unless another alternative is identified.
The proposed widening of N.C. 5 will reduce traffic congestion. In 2017, portions of N.C. 5 within the project limits were already operating at unacceptable levels of service. With the project improvements, N.C. 5 is anticipated to operate at acceptable levels of service until the year 2040.
Crash RatesIn an analysis of data from October 2009 to December 2016, the
crash rate on U.S. 1 in the study area was 463.8 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, and the crash rate for U.S. 15-501 in the same vicinity was 643.4. The statewide average critical crash rate during the study period is 307.2 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
In an analysis of data from July 2017 to June 2022, the crash rate on N.C. 5 in the study area was 222.8 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The statewide average critical crash rate during the study period is 279.6 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
Public Outreach
In June 2017, NCDOT Division 8 engineers and consultants met with officials from Aberdeen and Southern Pines to review proposed improvements to U.S. 15-501 from U.S. 1 to Brucewood Road (U-5814) and U.S. 15-501 to Lakeshore Drive (U-5815), answer questions, and research and evaluate issues raised by the towns. NCDOT then held a public meeting on Sept. 18, 2017, in Aberdeen to explain the project and its benefits and collect feedback from interested citizens.
NCDOT sought public comments on the project’s preliminary design until Oct. 20, 2017. The project team reviewed the comments, which included those collected from an online questionnaire, and incorporated them into the final designs.
In March 2012, a public meeting was held for the proposed improvements to a 4.3-mile section of N.C. 5 from U.S. 1 to the intersection of Trotter Drive and Blake Boulevard (U-5756). This public meeting was held to inform the public of the project and gather input on the proposed design. NCDOT sought public comments on the project’s preliminary design until March 21, 2019.