Afternoon drivers on Glenwood Avenue got an unwelcome surprise when heavy rain turned a busy stretch of the roadway into a shallow river, shutting down traffic in both directions between Pinecrest Drive and Ebenezer Church Road, according to Raleigh police. The closure has backed up cars along the Highway 70 corridor and is already disrupting commutes into and out of North Raleigh. Motorists are being urged to steer clear of the area and pick alternate routes while crews clear standing water and check the pavement.
According to Raleigh Police, the department issued a traffic advisory late Tuesday warning that more streets could go under water if the rain keeps coming. The post asked drivers to use alternate routes, exercise caution around flooded spots, and referenced the department's listed non-emergency contact information.
Why this stretch floods
This piece of Glenwood sits inside the Crabtree Creek watershed and is wired into the city's flood-warning network. Stream and rain gauges at Glenwood Avenue and Ebenezer Church Road feed data into Raleigh's flood early-warning system, which officials rely on to time road closures and public alerts when creek levels spike quickly, according to the City of Raleigh.
Context on Glenwood corridor
The Glenwood corridor is more often in the spotlight for its packed nightlife than for standing water, with summer weekends routinely drawing big crowds and the occasional police shutdown that ties up traffic. Earlier this month, a large law enforcement response along Glenwood South drew headlines in a report about the area being swarmed by police.
Travel and safety information
Officials are asking drivers to skip Glenwood between Pinecrest and Ebenezer for now and to expect that stretch to stay closed until the water drains off and crews can safely reopen lanes. For non-emergency issues, the City of Raleigh lists 919-829-1911. Call 911 for life-threatening situations, and keep an eye on Raleigh Police updates on X as crews work the flooded corridor.
Authorities say they will keep monitoring conditions and push out more information as needed. Drivers should plan for delays around the Highway 70 corridor and map out alternate routes before heading out.
