GOLDSBORO, N.C. — A major roadway improvement project is set to transform a busy stretch of Wayne Memorial Drive, with the North Carolina Department of Transportation awarding a $19.8 million construction contract to expand the corridor.
The project will widen approximately one mile of Wayne Memorial Drive in northern Goldsboro to four lanes with a raised median, extending from the Maxwell Center to the Interstate 42 interchange. Officials say the upgrades are designed to ease traffic congestion, reduce delays, and significantly improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians.
Currently, much of the roadway consists of two or three lanes, with a four-lane section and center turn lane near the Maxwell Center. That center turn lane will be replaced by a raised median to better manage traffic flow and minimize dangerous turning movements.
Plans also call for the installation of “reduced conflict intersections,” a design that directs drivers to make right turns followed by U-turns instead of crossing traffic directly. According to a 2023 NCDOT analysis, these types of intersections can reduce total crashes by 50% and serious injury crashes by as much as 80%.
Additional improvements include new sidewalks between Tommy’s Road and New Hope Road, as well as upgraded curbs, gutters, and drainage systems to better handle heavy rainfall.
The project was recommended by the Goldsboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to address growing traffic demands and safety concerns along the corridor.
Construction will be handled by Branch Civil Inc., with work expected to begin as early as June. The company has until summer 2029 to complete the project.
