Is Brier Creek expanding too quickly?
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- It should come as no surprise that Wake County is growing by the dozens every day. One area that is seeing and feeling its fair share of growth is Raleigh's Brier Creek neighborhood.
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"I've waited this long, I've watched it grow into what it is today," said Josh Garrison, an 11-year resident, and small business owner. "Every time I'm on a plane, I look down and think, 'holy cow they've cleared the land. All this development is going in. They haven't done anything.' "
Planned and in-progress developments include the Adara Alexander Place Apartments, the Andrews Chapel housing development, an extension of ACC Boulevard at TW Alexander Drive, a Holiday Inn Express, an unnamed apartment community at Globe Road and Sellona Street, a Hyatt House near completion, a Mellow Mushroom with adjacent retail space, and several other projects.
What hasn't kept up with the housing and economic growth is the area's infrastructure.
"I wouldn't risk slowing down the pace of development, the pace of change in bringing things to consumers and what they want," Garrison told ABC11. "But it needs to meet in the middle someplace. You've got to find a better balance."
The City of Raleigh and the NCDOT have been working in concert on improvements to U.S. 70.
The NCDOT's website reads: "The proposed work would address existing traffic congestion, future traffic congestion, poor traffic flow and the high number of vehicle crashes. These conditions are anticipated to worsen if no action is taken."
RELATED: View proposed changes to U.S. 70
"That flyover right there on TW and Glenwood, in particular, is going to be so unbelievably important to be able to flow the traffic in and out," Garrison added.
According to the NCDOT, construction for the U.S. 70 project isn't scheduled to begin until summer 2021. Prior to construction, a state environmental assessment needs to be completed, along with a final environmental decision document, and right-of-way acquisitions.
"I don't know they're really going to find that balance in the interim," Garrison said. "I'll continue to grin and bear it. I think in the long run it will be absolutely worth it."
