A pedestrian tunnel under Trinity Road is coming this fall
If Trinity Road is part of your normal commute you will be faced with some closures in the coming months – but it’s all for a good cause. The N.C. Department of Transportation is building a 25-foot-wide pedestrian tunnel under Trinity Road, just east of Youth Center Drive. Because of the construction, Trinity Road will be closed between March 5 and Aug. 1. Detour routes will include Edwards Mill Road, Wade Avenue and Blue Ridge Road.
“Pedestrian and vehicle traffic are heavy on Trinity Road not only during the annual N.C. State Fair but also during football games at Carter-Finley Stadium, events at the PNC Arena and other events held during the year at the fairgrounds,” said Kent Yelverton ,fair manager. “The tunnel will move pedestrians safely underground between the properties and should help move traffic on Trinity Road more efficiently during events.”
The tunnel should be completed by Sept. 15, there is a financial incentive for the contractor, Crowder Construction Company of Charlotte, to have it ready a month earlier. The tunnel is a N.C. DOT-funded project, and is anticipated to cost $4.3 million.
“The fairgrounds hosts several larger events during the construction window,” Yelverton said. “We encourage visitors to be mindful of the Trinity Road closures when traveling to the fairgrounds. We don’t anticipate closing any parking areas. However, access to these lots will change with the road closure.”
“We are excited about the tunnel and the improvement it should bring for the Gate 8 area of the fair. This is the gate that most fairgoers enter when they visit the fair,” he said. “An underground tunnel should help ease entry onto the fairgrounds and safely keep fairgoers from vehicle traffic.”
Stay tuned for a time-lapse video once construction is complete.
