Chapel Hill Review

Town of Hillsborough issued the following announcement on Oct. 15.

Road improvements related to the reservoir will include a replacement bridge on Carr Store Road over the reservoir.

Road improvement projects related to the Town of Hillsborough’s reservoir expansion are continuing, with one state road in Orange County expected to reopen and another to close temporarily by Oct. 28, weather permitting.

Smith-Rowe of Mount Airy is constructing the improvements to the roadway and drainage on Carr Store and Mill Creek roads near their intersection. This is the final work needed to raise the water level of Hillsborough’s West Fork Eno Reservoir, located north of Efland.

• Mill Creek Road ― Work is occurring now north of Lonesome Road to Carr Store Road. The work started in August and is a week behind schedule due to rains and an unexpected amount of rock, which slowed excavation and installation of a new drainage pipe. The road is expected to reopen to traffic by Oct. 28. Traffic is being directed around the area via Carr Store, Efland-Cedar Grove, and Governor Scott roads.
• Carr Store Road ― The road is expected to be closed Oct. 28-May 21, closing when Mill Creek Road reopens. Traffic will be directed around the area via Mill Creek, Efland-Cedar Grove and Governor Scott roads.

Designated detours for each closure are 6.6 miles, with access to existing driveways within the construction area maintained. Drivers should use caution, be mindful of crews working in the area, and plan for extra travel time because of the detour for each road.

More information

The Town of Hillsborough is funding the road improvements, which were delayed due to COVID-19. The improvements, which cost about $2.44 million, include:

• Vertical alignment changes.
• A replacement bridge on Carr Store Road over the reservoir.
• Drainage improvements, including a large diameter cross pipe beneath Mill Creek Road.
• Raising the roads to improve motorist safety and to allow a higher level of water in the reservoir.

The reservoir expansion is the second phase of Hillsborough’s reservoir, which was planned in the 1990s. Phase I was completed in 2000. Phase II will raise the reservoir’s normal water elevation by 10 vertical feet for expected future demand. Construction started in April 2018 and is expected to be complete in 2021. More information is available on the town’s project page.

The project schedule for the roads improvements is dependent on weather and could change due to other unforeseen circumstances. For more information, contact S&ME inspection field representative Reed Smith at 919-954-6256 or Hillsborough Utilities Analyst Julie Laws at 919-296-9630.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow North Carolina Department of Transportation on social media.

Original source: https://www.hillsboroughnc.gov/news/news-releases/2020/10/15/744/second-orange-county-road-to-close-temporarily-for-improvements-related-to-hillsborough-reservoir.html