A long-standing project to improve traffic and connectivity in Chapel Hill is now finished, according to the town government.

A release from Chapel Hill on Thursday said the extension of Elliott Road was set to officially open on Friday at 8 a.m., and saw vehicles drive down it as soon as traffic cones were moved.

The new street, which connects South Elliott Road to Ephesus Church Road via a roundabout and provides access to the Hartley at Blue Hill Apartments complex, was celebrated with a town employee ribbon-cutting on Thursday afternoon.

The opening puts a bookend on a process which began its planning stages as early as 2016 and suffered delays that led to the need for rebidding with development companies. Construction at the site began in 2021, mirroring with the start of much redevelopment around the extension as well. In addition to providing better connectivity to residents of the new apartments, the town approved the extension in 2017 to reduce traffic at the Ephesus Church Road and Fordham Boulevard intersection, as well as widen Elliott Road on the west side of Fordham Boulevard and add a turning lane onto South Elliott Road. According to traffic models presented to the town council in 2020, the road could service around 7,800 vehicles each day.

“This will relieve the pressure on that Ephesus Church Road intersection at 15-501 and [provide] safer walking [areas] for folks,” Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger told 97.9 The Hill. “Not only will you be able to go down Elliott Road Extension and cross over, there’s also a dedicated bike lane and there will be the Fordham Sidepath coming soon. That project should get started this fall, so people can get safely around without a car, but access all the wonderful things the Blue Hill District has to offer.”

Hemminger added that she’s spoken with town staff about adding more trees and shade opportunities along Elliott Road Extension, which she said could be done this fall.

The roundabout at Ephesus Church Road and the stoplight at Elliott Road’s intersection with Fordham have each been operational to travelers months.

 

Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Given 'Huge Shock' by Potential Redesign of U.S. 15-501 Exchange
Last week, the Department of Transportation sent the Town of Chapel Hill a concept design to change U.S. 15-501 exchange with Interstate 40.
Chapel Hill Traffic: Stretch of South Roberston Street Closed Amid Circuit Repairs
Chapel Hill motorists and community members will see a street closure in a downtown residential area this week. Beginning on Monday, a stretch of South Roberson Street in Chapel Hill will be closed amid repairs and replacement to electrical circuits. According to the Town of Chapel Hill, the Raleigh-based company Pike Engineering will be completing […]
Old Durham Road in Chapel Hill to be Closed Additional Day
This article has been updated to reflect Old Durham Road’s closing for Tuesday, which was added to the original closure.*** A road near the Wegman’s grocery store development in Chapel Hill will be closed to through traffic on both Monday and Tuesday. Releases from the Town of Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Department […]
Chapel Hill Holding Community Meeting on Wegmans, Traffic Calming Measures
The Town of Chapel Hill is inviting community members to attend an information and input session on traffic calming measures planned around the incoming Wegmans grocery store. The meeting is set for Thursday, March 5, at 6 p.m. and will be held in Room A of the Chapel Hill Public Library. The public will learn […]
Chapel Hill Details New Intersection for MLK Boulevard, North Street; Work to Begin in January
Major changes are coming to a Chapel Hill intersection to improve pedestrian safety and connection to the town’s future parking deck, with work set to begin within the first week of 2024. The Town of Chapel Hill shared a release with the community on December 21, saying the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard […]
Chapel Hill Approved A New Water, Sewer Boundary Down 15-501. Here's What That Means
Chapel Hill recently approved a resolution to expand its water and sewer management boundary further south toward Chatham County.
How is Chapel Hill's Complete Communities Being Implemented? One New Housing Development is an Example
Chapel Hill is using its Complete Communities framework to manage growth. How did it affect a recent housing project off Old Durham Road?
Chapel Hill: Extending Water and Sewer...And Celebrating Public Art!
Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell for an interview on Thursday, September 21.
Lane Changes for Multiple Projects Begin in Chapel Hill
Two projects around Chapel Hill are affecting traffic for local travelers after getting started on Wednesday. Work by town contractors on the Homestead Road Connectivity Project began to build a sidewalk and mutli-modal options along the road between Seawell School Road and the Weaver Dairy Road extension. It’s the latest effort to improve pedestrian and […]
Chapel Hill Completes Elliott Road Extension, Opens to All Traffic
A long-standing project to improve traffic and connectivity in Chapel Hill is now finished, according to the town government. A release from Chapel Hill on Thursday said the extension of Elliott Road was set to officially open on Friday at 8 a.m., and saw vehicles drive down it as soon as traffic cones were moved. […]
›