Commuting Advisory: Section Of NC 147 South Closing

Duke community members traveling to campus along N.C. 147 South may need to adjust their commuting schedule starting next week.

Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6, the North Carolina Department of Transportation will permanently close a half-mile section of 147 South, known as "the spur." This section extends south of the I-40/147 interchange (exits 279 A and B) to T.W. Alexander Drive. The work is part of the state Turnpike Authority's Triangle Parkway project. 

When 147 opens in December, it will no longer dead end at T.W. Alexander Drive but will continue onto the new Triangle Parkway. The $1 billion expressway project is an 18.8-mile toll road system from the N.C. 55 bypass near Holly Springs to the I-40/147 interchange.

 "This section is just a temporary closure because it will be tying in to the Triangle Parkway," said Hollie Allen, information and communications specialist with the state Department of Transportation. "It's not a permanent closure to 147 South. We're just tying this section into the new road and we're asking for their patience as we work to get this all open."

All traffic traveling on 147 southbound will need to take exit 5A (I-40 East) or 5B (I-40 West) as crews construct the tie-in from the existing 147 to the Triangle Parkway.  To assist commuters, the NCDOT recommends several alternate routes:

• Motorists traveling southbound on N.C. 147 needing to access T.W. Alexander Drive should use: 147 to I-40 West, then N.C. 55 (Exit 278) to N.C. 54, and finally to T.W. Alexander Drive.
• Motorists traveling on T.W. Alexander needing to access N.C. 147 North should use: T.W. Alexander Drive to N.C. 54, then N.C. 55 to I-40 East, and finally to 147.
• Motorists traveling on I-40 needing to access T.W. Alexander Drive should use: I-40 to Exit 278 (N.C. 55), then N.C. 54 to T.W. Alexander Drive.

For more information about the project, visit the North Carolina Turnpike Authority's website.

Click map to see an enlarged version.