Work delayed at Hillsborough Street and Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh

When the project is finished, Blue Ridge Road will pass beneath Hillsborough Street, the railroad tracks and Beryl Road. A new street will connect Hillsborough Street and Blue Ridge Road.

The project was originally scheduled to be finished by the end of 2024, but the timeline has been delayed by at least six months.

Kim Deaner with the North Carolina Department of Transportation said soil testing revealed problems while crews work to build a temporary railroad.

"We had to work with the railroad to get the soil repaired before we could prepare to work," Deaner said.

The new traffic pattern will alleviate traffic, especially created during the North Carolina State Fair and N.C. State football games.

Aaron Moody with the NCDOT said the purpose of the overall project is to make the area safer for both drivers and pedestrians.

“You have all that foot traffic coming together with a railroad crossing at a busy intersection right at our state fairgrounds,” Moody said. “It's really an effort to take that risk factor out of play. It gives pedestrians and cars the leeway to go under the railroad.”

Once the railroad bridge is built, crews will begin work on Blue Ridge Road, adding a turn lane at Hillsborough Street and building sidewalks.