Road work near Amazon fulfillment center in Garner could cause traffic delays

GARNER, N.C. (WTVD) -- Drivers should expect delays near the site of the new Amazon fulfillment center in Garner, according to town officials.

Officials said workers started widening Jones Sausage Road from a two-lane road into a four-lane road with center median, from the end of the Amazon property until the Interstate 40 interchange.

North Carolina Department of Transportation said they will convert the nearby I-40 interchange into a diverging diamond interchange. It's a traffic pattern designed to eliminate left turns against oncoming traffic and keep traffic flowing more efficiently. Marty Homan, a spokesperson for the agency said that work will tentatively begin this summer and continue through next summer.

SEE MORE | Diverging diamond construction will start soon at I-40 and Airport Boulevard near RDU

Because of construction delays, residents in the Hunter's Mark subdivision across from the Amazon site said they have seen even more traffic congestion during rush hour.

"It's a nuisance," said Donald Terpening. "There is bumper to bumper traffic, going both directions."

"In the morning, it's pretty tough," said Randy Person. "Then in the afternoon, it gets backed up to right here so it's hard to even get out of the neighborhood. So sometimes it gets pretty bad."

The Town of Garner posted on Facebook, "Avoid Jones Sausage north of East Garner Road when possible."

Garner officials also said traffic signals will be installed at Calebar Street and Jones Sausage Road.

Person said the situation will ultimately be better once the road work is completed.

"If they were to open that place up, they need to widen the road because of all those people that would have to work there," Person said. "And all the people that live right here. It's going to be hard for either one of us to get to work or get home."

The road work is slated to continue for several months. Crews may need to temporarily close a lane while they do road work.

The new fulfillment center is expected to bring 1,500 new jobs to the region and open by the holidays.

Amazon released the following statement Monday:

Construction continues as we look forward to a 2020 launch. We are proud to call North Carolina home and to create more than 1,500 new, full-time jobs in Garner. Amazon jobs are great jobs with great benefits. Amazon's $15 minimum wage is on top of our industry-leading benefits - including comprehensive healthcare on day 1, up to 20-week paid parental leave, and Amazon's innovative Career Choice program, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields that are in high-demand, regardless of whether those skills are relevant to jobs at Amazon. Hiring has not yet started but stay tuned for more information.

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