A stretch of N.C. 211 near Domino Drive in Aberdeen has become a growing concern for local residents after a series of recent crashes. Many point to a sharp drop-off created by ongoing roadwork as the cause of these crashes.
The roadwork is part of a long-term North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) project to widen N.C. 211 to four lanes. However, residents say temporary conditions at certain points, particularly near Domino Road, have left drivers at risk.
One nearby resident said she has witnessed the problem firsthand. “There have been at least four wrecks in the last few months in this spot on Highway 211, and I’ve heard three of them from inside my house as they’ve happened,” she recounted. “I’ve lived in my house over nine years, and there’s never been an accident here.”
After the most recent crash, she walked to the site and noticed “the severe drop-off, inches away from the white line.” The area leaves very little room for error and makes correction difficult.
“If they slightly drift over the white line, their tire goes off the pavement and there’s no coming back,” she explained. “There are no DOT road signs or cones to warn drivers or to slow traffic down. I’m afraid if it’s left as it is, there’s going to be a really bad accident and someone is going to die as a result of this oversight.”
Sandhills Sentinel previously covered a wreck in this area involving a van hauling a trailer that left the roadway and rolled. The driver was airlifted as a result of the crash, and the North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper at the scene attributed the cause to the steep drop-off.
According to the project description on NCDOT’s website, the department plans to widen N.C. 211 to a four-lane divided highway between U.S. 15-501 in Aberdeen and West Palmer Street in Raeford, a distance of about 15.4 miles. The project reportedly aims to reduce congestion, improve safety, and correct deficiencies in the existing roadway.
The length of N.C. 211 currently undergoing construction from Aberdeen to Raeford. Map via NCDOT’s website.
The website says the widening will address narrow travel lanes, limited shoulders, and sight-distance issues, but its online project report does not list a projected completion date.
Traffic volumes along N.C. 211 ranged from 4,200 to 13,600 vehicles per day in 2015 and are projected to rise more than 60 percent by 2040, according to NCDOT data. The department also reported 451 crashes along the corridor during a five-year period, with total and fatal crash rates higher than the statewide average for similar roads.
Sandhills Sentinel reached out to NCDOT for comment about when repairs or additional safety measures may be made in this section but did not receive a response.
Want Moore news that matters? Please click here to sign up for the free Sandhills Sentinel e-newsletter.
~ Article and photo by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
