Durham drivers deal with headaches as highway construction wears on

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- More than 130,000 people travel where Highway 98 and 70 intersect in Durham.

Drivers say that for several days construction is getting in their way.

As crews work on the railroad nearby, parts of Highway 98 are shut down during rush hour.

"Oh it's been real bad," one driver told ABC11. "I had to take the detour the other day and go down Junction Road. It took about 20 minutes just to get to the other end of Junction Road. People have stuff to do during the week."

Durham resident Kenneth Washington managed to escape the detours and delays.

"I work at night so when I come through at night, it's already cleared," Washington said.

NCDOT says the work on the railroad will wrap up Friday.

Nina Shepard from Durham will be so glad. During the day, she tries her best to avoid the area.

"To get off the exit last week, it took me about 30 minutes and it was only like seven cars in front of me," she said.

Long-term, traffic is expected to improve when the $142 million dollar East End Project finally connects Highway 70 to the Durham Freeway.

NCDOT estimated that 100,000 people a day are expected to use the connector.

Back in August, crews opened up the new northbound lanes on the Durham Freeway.

However, those northbound lanes will be closed between the Briggs Avenue and Ellis Road exits this weekend.

That closure starts Friday night at 10 and lasts until 5 a.m. Saturday.

NCDOT said the East End Project is expected to be finished by November 2020.