A serious crash on I-85 North in Durham County on Friday afternoon shut down northbound lanes and snarled traffic for hours. The wreck happened near Red Mill Road, just past Exit 183, when a vehicle ran off the roadway and struck the treeline. At least one person appears to have been killed at the scene, and crews worked into the afternoon to clear wreckage while drivers sat in long backups as state and local responders managed traffic.
According to ABC11, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said the right lane reopened around 4:20 p.m., though congestion remained on the northbound side. ABC11 also reported that at least one car had slammed into the treeline near Red Mill Road and that a station crew was on scene gathering details.
Where It Happened
The collision occurred just past Exit 183 at Red Mill Road, a stretch of I-85 that frequently bottlenecks when wrecks or truck incidents occur. Local coverage earlier this week documented another pre-dawn fiery crash in the area that left at least one person dead, underscoring how quickly incidents on this corridor can become multi-hour closures, as detailed in this deadly pre-dawn inferno report.
Why This Stretch Matters
State transportation planning documents show work slated for I-85 from US-70 up to Red Mill Road as part of capacity and maintenance projects, a sign of long-running congestion and pavement needs on the corridor. The N.C. Department of Transportation's current STIP lists widening and repair projects that cover segments of I-85 and nearby interchanges around Red Mill Road. Those plans, still in planning or early stages, highlight how a single serious wreck on this high-volume segment can ripple across the Triangle's commuting network, according to the NCDOT STIP.
What Officials Say
Officials had not released names or a detailed cause as of the ABC11 report, and the station said its breaking-news team was working to learn more at the scene. The lane-status update relayed that the right lane reopened around 4:20 p.m., but investigators and crash-reconstruction teams typically remain on site until wreckage and roadway hazards are cleared. This story will be updated as law enforcement or transportation officials release official statements.
