Board weighs DOT roundabout for Buffalo Lake Road; commissioners propose redirecting funds to a stoplight at Nursery Road and Ray Road

The board discussed a requested letter of support for a North Carolina Department of Transportation roundabout project at Buffalo Lake Road and Alpine Drive and debated whether the county should recommend the project or ask DOT to direct the funding toward higher-priority traffic-safety work.

The chair recalled that when the intersection was converted from a one-way stop to a three-way stop several years ago there were a number of accidents while drivers adapted to the change; the chair said there had not been fatalities but some near-fatal incidents. Commissioners noted heavy traffic and truck movements on Buffalo Lake Road and said a roundabout may not be the most appropriate treatment for that location.

Several commissioners urged that the board consider requesting DOT and the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) to reallocate the funds to construct a traffic signal at Nursery Road and Ray Road, an intersection with a history of serious crashes near Anderson Creek Academy and Anderson Creek neighborhoods. Commissioners asked county staff to draft a letter recommending that the Buffalo Lake/Alpine Drive allocation be used instead for the Ray/Nursery signal and to present that revised letter as a separate agenda item for a vote at the next meeting.

Board members said they would also consult DOT staff and FAMPO representatives about project priorities before making a final decision.