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By Jim Buice

For the Clemmons Courier

For years and years, improvements to the busiest stretch of Lewisville-Clemmons Road have been impacted by controversy and delays.

After all, it’s been almost a decade since the 2017 Village of Clemmons Municipal Election was decided by those in favor of a “Stop the Median” movement with a veteran council contingent being swept away.

And six years before that, when a median wasn’t the issue, a council initiative calling for a $6 million bond referendum to let voters decide whether or not to authorize funding for improvements to the road was soundly defeated — with three incumbents going home.

But finally in September 2018, after all the further twists and turns, the council gave its approval to improvements for the dangerous stretch of Lewisville-Clemmons Road when the NCDOT ultimately recommended that a shorter median be placed from I-40 to the Stadium Drive area.

However, COVID was just around the corner in 2020 along with funding issues to shut down any forward momentum.

Connie James, who joined NCDOT in December 2017 and assumed the role as project engineer at that time, gave the latest update on Project U-6004, which includes the I-40 interchange and extends to U.S. 158.

“Right of way acquisition is currently underway,” she said. “Utility relocations are scheduled to begin in fall 2025. Construction is scheduled to begin October 2026, however the Draft State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) proposes to move construction to FY 2029. The draft STIP construction estimate is $37,425,000.”

James said that there has been a substantial amount of cost estimate increases in recent years.

“This is the result of inflation, improvements to cost estimating processes, and changes in project scope,” James said. “For example, the Department of Transportation experienced a total of approximately $11 billion in cost increases since adoption of the 2024-2033 STIP and construction pricing has escalated more steeply in the past four years than at any other time since the National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI) was developed by FHWA in 2003.”

James added that NCDOT is now continually updating cost estimates to ensure no estimate is older than two years. Previously, the department only updated at-phase changes (Scope, ROW/Utilities, Construction). Also, the most recent monthly bid data is being used to develop estimates.

Also in Clemmons:

BR-0075 — Kinnamon Road Bridge Replacement over I-40 — The current schedule has right of way to begin in January 2027 and construction in January 2029. NCDOT Division 9 is currently working with the STIP Unit to adjust the project schedule to coordinate with the proposed schedule for U-6004. The Draft STIP construction estimate is $12,000,000.

NCDOT is also managing the Great Wagon Road project, also known as U-5536, in Lewisville. Below is an update on two Lewisville projects:

U-5536 — Great Wagon Road in Lewisville — Bids were opened on Feb. 18, 2025. The project was awarded to Branch Civil Inc. with the construction bid at $19 785,000 which was 11.5 percent below the engineer’s estimate. The date of availability for the contractor to begin work is March 31, 2025, and the completion date in the contract is March 14, 2029.

U-6154 – Lewisville-Vienna Road & Robinhood Road Roundabout — This project transitions a signalized intersection into a single-lane roundabout. All right of way has been acquired for the project, and the town is working with NCDOT to obtain construction authorization. Once authorization is obtained, the town will be able to go out for contractor bids. There is no timeline at this point, but the town is hopeful that construction will begin in 2025.