A busy stretch of Duke Street just off downtown Durham is going quiet for the summer, as crews shut down a block of the corridor to make way for a nine acre urban wetland and stream restoration along West Trinity Avenue. The multi phase South Ellerbe project will convert the area into ponds, tributaries and public green space, and the construction zone is set to send drivers, cyclists and pedestrians on detours for months while crews move utilities and prep the site.
What Is Being Built
The city says the property at 808 West Trinity Avenue will be transformed into a constructed wetland and stream complex that includes a 4.3 acre wetland, two restored tributaries, a loop trail that will tie into the South Ellerbe Creek Trail and the future Durham Rail Trail, plus a pedestrian plaza with seating, educational signage and public art, according to the City of Durham. Planned pedestrian and bicycle upgrades include a protected bike lane along Trinity Avenue, as well as bridges and boardwalks over the wetland to make the corridor safer and more welcoming for people on foot and on bikes.
Closures And Detours
The city has closed Duke Street between West Trinity Avenue and Monmouth Avenue and says that shutdown is expected to last into mid September, with digital message boards and detour signs now steering traffic around the work zone, as reported by The News & Observer. Drivers are being rerouted primarily to Washington Street and Buchanan Boulevard, while pedestrians and cyclists are being pushed to Markham Avenue and Washington Street. According to the paper, the full project carries a price tag of about $41 million, and the city has roughly $800,000 in state funding helping to cover the cost.
Why It Matters For Falls Lake And Downtown
City officials say the restored wetland is designed to filter polluted stormwater before it reaches South Ellerbe Creek, helping Durham comply with the Falls Lake nutrient strategy, a statewide program to cut nitrogen and phosphorus flowing into the reservoir, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. As part of the work, a section of the South Ellerbe Creek Trail is closed and temporarily rerouted along West Trinity Avenue and Washington Street; Durham Parks & Recreation has posted a detour map and says the trail closure will stay in place through late 2027 while crews finish the restoration.
Timeline And Next Steps
Phase 3A of the project is now underway and covers utility and drainage upgrades, sewer and water line relocations and stormwater system modifications to get the site ready for the wetland, according to the project overview from the City of Durham. Phase 3B, which will construct the wetland itself, the two tributaries and the public amenities such as trails and overlooks, is expected to start later this year, the city says. For maps, detour PDFs and questions, the city lists [email protected] as a contact and maintains online resources, and earlier coverage of the initial construction work appeared under the headline utility upgrades.
