Monday, June 5, 2023
By Outer Banks Voice on May 26, 2023
As frustration with snarled traffic and the snail’s pace of travel mounts, the Town of Kill Devil Hills, on May 25, posted information on its Facebook page about a temporary halt in the work that has been impacting drivers on US-158 and Colington Road. (The start time for a May 24 public presentation on the Outer Banks Visitors’ Bureau’s long-range tourism plan had to be delayed because people on their way to the event got stuck in traffic.)
The bottom line is that work on the Kill Devil Hills sidewalk update that has been choking traffic, as well as the construction at the busy intersection of Colington Road and US-158 will stop for the Memorial Day weekend. The former project should be concluded by early next month while the timetable is less clear on the work at the intersection.
Here is the Kill Devil Hills release. When you read it, you get the clear sense that town has been hearing it from angry motorists.
𝗞𝗗𝗛 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: Good news, there will be NO lane closures for this work after business on May 25 through Monday, May 29. The contractor’s tentative completion date for this project is June 3. We hear you all, and yes, the lane closures for the sidewalk project are frustrating, we agree. We understand the timing of the project is not ideal with the traffic volume beginning to increase, but the project is almost finished. Having sidewalks completed before the very busy summer months will allow for MUCH safer commutes for our pedestrian traffic.
𝗡𝗖𝗗𝗢𝗧 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: The contractors will continue paving operations at the intersection of Colington Road and US-158 on 5/25. No further work will be performed on the project until Wednesday, May 31. NCDOT informed us that they would then have a better idea of the scheduled work for this project after the holiday weekend. We will continue to share any updated information as it is received. Please continue to drive safely and with patience.
For updates visit Town of Kill Devil Hills Facebook page.
Comments
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Jay
As a Colington resident I have endured the delays because I know the results will be worth the pain. I do not understand why there wasn’t ANY APPARENT coordination between the Colington Road project and the paving on the bypass. Also are contractors allowed to restrict traffic to one lane, say for 1/4 mile or more when they are only working in a 200′ stretch or not working at all?
Glenn
That road construction has been chaotic. That couldn’t have been done in January or February before our visitors and second home owners arrived in droves?
Mike Raphone
I can see the need to pave at such an inconvenient time, as NCDOT requires the surface area the asphalt being applied to must be 50 degrees F before any paving will be allowed. However, that sidewalk could have been done at ANY time as there is no temperature requirement for concrete. And that is the one that is the constant hold up. Not to mention people who clearly don’t know how to drive are in the mix. Zipper merging will never happen with this “Me first” generation. This place is the funniest I have ever driven. Green lights for miles, yet everyone is on the brakes.
Ibx folks
Thanks for the timely “relief “
George
Where I live they do that sort of extensive lane closing work at night. Keeps my blood pressure low!
Phoebegirl
No doubt it was a group of men that made these GREAT decisions. I live on the west side
and hear the constant moans of sirens all day long. I was involved in my first car accident
here on the beach several weeks ago. I have lived here for 25 years. Someone hit me
head-on while they were riding/driving the center turn lane. These projects have caused
true chaos. It took me 30 minutes the other day to travel 1 1/2 miles in KDH. This work certainly could have been planned at a more appropriate time of the year.
Have fun sitting in traffic… I am finally out of here!
Mary
KDH needs to delay the sidewalk construction until the off season for the safety of all drivers! Pedestrians should not be the priority at this time. Glad members of the Visitor’s Bureau were stuck in the insane traffic…Such poor planning!
Mayor
It’s unfortunate people can’t simply take their smart phones out of their pockets open up a map app and see that they could easily get from one side of the beach to the other without ever having to ride/walk along the main highway OR the beach road. May have to cross at a stoplight or two here and there but between the bike path on bay drive and the middle north/south roads that run through our towns, those would be a lot safer than using a sidewalk along the main bypass..
Mark
There’s never been a sidewalk there for the 40+ years I’ve lived here. After the town gets a significant grant all the sudden it is of utmost importance? 🤷🏻♂️ it’s pretty easy to get from southern shores to whalebone junction without ever getting close to the highway or beach road if people could read a map…
Chris
They have been screwing us over all winter and spring with road construction, Isn’t it funny that the decision made to stop construction is on the Friday of memorial weekend!!!!!!!! Heaven forbid we inconvenience the tourists.
Tommy the Turtle
The traffic has been a fiasco
This place is becoming unlivable for locals
Do the project at night!!!
Liz
How ironic and perfect that the start time for for the tourism bureau’s propaganda presentation was delayed because people got stuck in traffic! Tourism bureau had a large hand in causing much of this, and not just the construction mess. Money, money, money, it always talks the loudest.
Raifish
If people would just learn how to zipper merge and not be so ego driven the traffic wouldn’t stand still except at lights. Everyone should stay in their lane and merge as their lane ends. People in the other lane should let ONE car in front of them. That way traffic keeps moving. People who need to merge a mile before their lane ends and people who won’t let one car in as they merge are the problem. They make traffic clog and stop. As an aside, the lights on the bypass are timed. If you go the speed limit and pay attention you can go from Walmart to the Outlet Mall without hitting a light. Going from a red light at 70 MPH only makes you stop at the next light then the people behind you have to stop too.