Relief is coming for drivers who crawl through the cramped, quirky stretch of Old Stage Road south of the NC 540 interchange. Over the next few years, crews will rebuild about a one-mile segment, widening it from two lanes to four and adding traffic signals where there are currently none.
The project will straighten out the awkward Y-shaped junction at Rock Service Station Road into a standard T-intersection, add a concrete median to block most direct left turns, and create designated U-turn spots for drivers who need to cross the roadway. The Fred Smith Company of Raleigh holds the nearly $7 million construction contract, with work expected to begin this month and substantial completion targeted for fall 2027.
What the project includes
The North Carolina Department of Transportation plans to widen Old Stage Road from the NC 540 interchange south to Rock Service Station Road. As part of the rebuild, a new traffic signal will go in where Old Stage meets Rock Service Station, and another light will be installed to help drivers turning northbound onto Banks Road.
A raised concrete median will run along much of the corridor, cutting off left turns into many driveways. Instead, drivers who need to turn across traffic will be routed to three planned U-turn locations. As reported by the News & Observer, the changes are designed to handle growing traffic from the Triangle Expressway.
Design changes to limit property impacts
Early design concepts were trimmed back after public feedback and engineering reviews to limit how much private property the state would need to take. A planned multi-use path on one side of Old Stage Road and a sidewalk on the other were removed. Designers also narrowed berms and minimized utility easements.
Initial plans for grassed medians were swapped out for concrete versions, a move that helped shrink the overall footprint of the roadway. Updated typical sections now show fewer right-of-way impacts along the corridor. Those revisions are detailed on the N.C. Department of Transportation public input portal for the HL-0008i Old Stage Road project.
Timeline, cost and contractor
The state awarded the nearly $7 million construction contract to the Fred Smith Company of Raleigh, according to the News & Observer. Local reporting from JoCo Report noted that crews are expected to mobilize this month and that NCDOT is aiming for substantial completion by fall 2027.
Project records show the work is concentrated on roughly one mile of Old Stage Road between the NC 540 ramps and Rock Service Station Road, a stretch that has been straining under regional growth and increased expressway traffic.
Why now: the Complete 540 connection
The timing is no accident. The Old Stage Road work is keyed to traffic pouring off the recently opened segment of the Triangle Expressway and the broader Complete 540 loop buildout. WRAL reports that construction of the final leg of the loop is underway and that the full beltline is expected to be completed by late 2028.
Transportation officials say that regional construction schedule is a major reason the department is moving now to widen Old Stage Road and tighten up its intersections.
What drivers should expect during construction
Once work ramps up, drivers can expect intermittent lane shifts, temporary traffic signal work and rolling restrictions on left turns as medians and U-turn locations are built out. Travel will remain open, but commutes may feel choppy at times while crews juggle staging and lane closures.
NCDOT plans to post maps, construction-phase traffic patterns and schedule updates on its public input portal, along with contact information for people who want construction alerts or have questions. Neighbors and school commuters should be ready for adjusted drop-off and pickup patterns during peak hours when crews are active in front of campuses and subdivisions.
