This Week at NCDOT: Thanksgiving Travel and Carolina Connector Ribbon Cutting

RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in NCDOT Now, the department's weekly newscast.

Thanksgiving Holiday Travel

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is suspending most construction activity along major highways to keep lanes open for holiday travel.  

The work along interstates, U.S. routes and key N.C. routes is expected to shut down from the morning of Nov. 23 through the evening of Nov. 29.  

Work that does not impact travel lanes will continue for some projects.

Before you hit the road, be sure to visit DriveNC.gov​ for the most up-to-date traffic information.  

The Governor’s Highway Safety Program is also launching its annual Thanksgiving Click It or Ticket campaign. Law enforcement is stepping up patrols and check points to catch people speeding, driving while impaired and not wearing their seat belts.  

Carolina Connector Intermodal Facility Opens

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Carolina Connector intermodal terminal, or CCX, took place on Nov. 18. 

The 330-acre site allows trucks to bring cargo containers to a rail yard, where they are transferred to trains for transport. This helps regional industries distribute their products nationwide and spur business development locally and beyond.   

Representatives of NCDOT, CSX Corporation, the Carolinas Gateway Partnership and Governor Cooper attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.

"The Carolina Connector will help us address the supply chain problems by getting goods from one place to the next," said Governor Cooper. "It's going to help us create 1,500 jobs. The Department of Transportation did a great job in working with CSX to make this happen. This is going to be great for North Carolina's economic future, not only for eastern North Carolina but the entire state.

For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on NCDOT.gov.