WILKESBORO – The N.C. Department of Transportation will shift traffic at an intersection on U.S. 421 in Wilkes County to a new and safer pattern this week.
Beginning Thursday, July 23, drivers wishing to turn left onto U.S. 421 or continue across U.S. 421 on Winkler Mill Road and Winkler Mill Road Extension will first turn right onto U.S. 421, then use a designated, signalized U-turn lane to turn around onto the highway. Drivers on U.S. 421 can still turn left onto Winkler Mill Road using a designated lane and signal.
All turning movements for this intersection will be signalized. Crews installed digital message boards and set the new signals to a flashing pattern on July 16 to alert drivers to the upcoming change.
This is part of an $81 million project converting intersections along a 2-mile stretch of U.S. 421 from N.C. 16 to U.S. 421 Business in Wilkes County to reduced conflict intersections.
“This new pattern is designed to reduce crashes by reducing the number of potential conflict points between drivers,” said Scott Pipes, resident engineer for NCDOT in Wilkes and Ashe counties. “There is always an adjustment period when traffic patterns change. We urge drivers to stay alert and be mindful of others on the road.”
Reduced conflict intersections simplify how traffic moves and can reduce total crashes by 50%, according to NCDOT crash data. They have reduced frontal impact crashes, like head-on or T-bone collisions, by 80%.
Crews from NCDOT contractor Branch Civil Inc. are scheduled to finish all construction for the project in fall 2027.
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