Traffic issues and downed trees are being reported Tuesday morning after heavy rain fell through the majority of the overnight hours following nearly two full days of continuous rain.
Chapel Hill Emergency officials reported a downed tree on East Franklin Street near Roosevelt Drive, which was blocking some travel lanes. Flooding was also reported to be impacting roadways on South Estes Drive and Cleland Drive. Chapel Hill Fire crews carried out a water rescue on Cleland Drive.
Orange County Emergency Services also reported issues Tuesday morning with an overturned vehicle on I-85 Southbound near exit 169. A bridge on Pearson Road in Hurdle Mills also was reportedly covered by water.
The downed trees and flooded roads are also causing Chapel Hill Transit to detour several routes, including the CL, D, DX, F and HU.
Durham Public Schools also tweeted Tuesday morning that some buses may be late due to closed roadways.
Officials are advising that it is never safe to drive through flooded roadways.
Orange County has closed River Park until further notice due to flooding. Officials say the parking lot behind the Board of Elections office has also been closed because of rising flood waters.
Hillsborough has announced that the Riverwalk and Gold Park are “underwater” amid the continuing rain and rising waters from the Eno River and are closed, along with Kings Highway Park.
Rain is expected to continue throughout most of the morning and possibly into the afternoon on Tuesday.
Related Stories
‹

Chapel Hill Preparing Ahead of Impact from Hurricane Dorian, Future HurricanesHurricane season is here and the first major storm of 2019 is approaching in Hurricane Dorian. Officials in Chapel Hill are preparing for torrential rainstorms and the ensuing flooding that is likely to follow from storms throughout the fall, which might have more of an impact locally than Dorian. Last year, Hurricane Florence dropped more […]

9/17/18: Orange County Flooding in PicturesOvernight rains from Hurricane Florence brought flooding to Chapel Hill and other parts of Orange County. Roads were closed and residents of some apartment complexes were forced to evacuate. The 97.9 The Hill WCHL crew took some photographs of flooding in the local area during Monday’s rainstorm. Photos by: Kenny Dike/WCHL Nicki Morse/WCHL Loren Hintz
![]()
Residents Returning to Apartments After Chapel Hill Flooding EvacuationsPublic safety teams with the Town of Chapel Hill have returned most of the residents who evacuated their apartments due to flooding on Wednesday, according to town officials. A release says 34 residents from the Camelot Village and Brookwood Condominiums voluntarily evacuated the apartments as waters began to rise in the flood-prone area. Fire chief […]

Orange County Communities to Observe Martin Luther King Day Jan. 19. Here's How it Affects Services.The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Most town offices will be closed Monday. Residential trash normally collected Monday will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 21. Curbside recycling collection will […]

Orange County Communities to Interrupt Services for December Holidays (2025)Communities around Orange County will interrupt their normal service schedules during the upcoming winter holidays. Here’s what customers can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Town of Chapel Hill government offices will be closed from Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Dec. 26. Residential trash collection will not be affected. Yard trimmings will not be collected on […]

Top Stories of 2025: Flash Flooding From Tropical Storm Chantal Damages Region, Changes LivesPerhaps no singular event influenced the Orange County community's experience in 2025 more than Tropical Storm Chantal's floods in July.

Orange County Authorities Find Missing Teenager After Brief SearchUPDATE: The Orange County Sheriff's Office said at 10:57 p.m. the missing child has since been located.

Soccer Fields and Open Space: Orange County Explores Potential Uses for Millhouse Road SiteOrange County is starting to make headway on a piece of land it has owned for two decades along Millhouse Road.

Thanksgiving Holiday to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County (2025)Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, November 27 this year, and the holiday will affect several local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s a rundown of what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 are both town holidays. Residential trash collection will not be affected. However, there […]

Community Home Trust Recognized with Statewide Innovative Affordable Housing AwardAn Orange County nonprofit recently took home a statewide award for helping make homes permanently affordable for a group facing eviction.
›