On Christmas night, a vehicular collision occurred near an IHOP on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh, causing significant disruption as traffic lights were knocked out. The southbound lanes of this major route were closed for several hours following the accident, which took place around 7:15 p.m., CBS 17 reported. Eyewitnesses from the news crew described a car in a ditch outside the IHOP located at 3009 Capital Blvd. Images from the scene showed that at least two sets of traffic lights were impacted by the wreck, with Raleigh police quickly establishing detours for motorists.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation worked tirelessly to quickly reopen the intersection, which they managed to accomplish around 1:30 a.m., as confirmed by a social media post from the Raleigh Police. The initial estimate was to reopen lanes by 9 p.m., but officers had to unexpectedly extend the closure into the early hours yesterday to properly fix the damaged infrastructure. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident, but the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Traffic Update: As of 1:22 AM, all southbound lanes on Capital Blvd are now open for normal traffic. https://t.co/ukVZH56MNB
— Raleigh Police (@raleighpolice) December 26, 2024
According to information reported by WRAL, the crash not only affected traffic lights but also powerlines at the intersection near Trawick Road, further complicating the night's events. The incident was not isolated, as Raleigh experienced a series of road incidents on Christmas, with a separate accident in Garner involving an overturned car on Fayetteville Road.
Raleigh police officers clarified that all lanes on Capital Boulevard were reopened yesterday morning following the clear-up from the Wednesday night wreck.
