WAKE FOREST — The intersection of N.C. 98 and Moores Pond Road east of Wake Forest is scheduled to become an all-way stop next week as an interim safety measure until a roundabout can be designed and constructed. Currently, drivers on N.C. 98 do not have to stop.
The change is scheduled to occur on Dec. 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Drivers should expect delays and be alert for flagging operations and workers restriping the area and adding stop signs for N.C. 98 until the conversion is completed. The project is weather-dependent. The rain date for the work is Dec. 17.
The all-way pattern will remain until a roundabout is constructed. The project is scheduled to be awarded in 2022.
In addition to being more efficient, roundabouts are safer than traditional intersections because motorists slow down going through them, and the design eliminates the stop-and-go nature of stop signs or traffic lights.
According to a 2017 report from the Federal Highway Administration, converting an intersection from a two-way stop to a roundabout reduces severe crashes by 82 percent.
People can learn more and watch a video on using the circular intersection by visiting the N.C. Department of Transportation's roundabout webpage.