Safety and faster traffic flow are the goals of a new street project coming to Lexington.

In September of 2024, the City of Lexington entered into development agreements with High Cotton Ventures, LLC and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) in relation to Corridor Improvements to NC-8, also known as Cotton Grove Rd. The project also includes improvements to Fairview Dr and Plaza Parkway. 

On April 14, 2025, construction is expected to begin on the Fairview Dr expansion project. The purpose of this project is to improve traffic congestion and make safety improvements in an area that is densely populated with restaurants, retail, and other businesses. With Lexington's current housing boom and an influx of businesses coming to the area, the City is consistently looking at ways to make vehicle traffic safer and faster for residents.

This project is expected to take six months to complete.

The scope of this project involves:

• Widening of Cotton Grove Road to accommodate the development of a new Sheetz location.
• Adding a service road that will serve as an entrance to Sheetz and Zaxby’s across from the intersection of Cotton Grove Road and Fairview Drive.
• Widening of Fairview Drive at the intersection with Cotton Grove Road to add a second dedicated left turn lane.
• Adding an additional left turn lane on Plaza Parkway. 
• Adding a divided median on Cotton Grove Road between the intersections with Fairview Drive and Plaza Parkway.

New Sheetz Development

One of the key factors in the changes coming to the area is a New Sheetz to be located on Cotton Grove Rd. Cotton Grove Rd will be widened to accommodate for the new Sheetz. A new service road will be built that allows entrance/exit to and from Sheetz. The service road will also serve as entrance/exit to the currently existing Zaxby's adjacent to the new Sheetz site.

The service road will also serve as a safety solution for Zaxby's. Exiting left onto Cotton Grove Rd from Zaxby's poses a high risk for accidents to happen. The new service road, which will include a stop light for vehicles exiting Zaxby's and Sheetz, allows for a much safer alternative to turn left.

Not only will left turns out of Zaxby's be safer, but the option to do so from the previous exit will be impossible. A concrete median will be added in front of the Zaxby's exit, preventing left turns onto Cotton Grove Rd. Zaxby's patrons can still turn right onto Cotton Grove Rd when exiting the parking lot. The median will extend from the intersection of Cotton Grove Rd and Fairview Dr to Plaza Parkway. 

"The median on Cotton Grove will reduce accidents and eliminate the possibility of head-on collisions for cars turning left across traffic. The addition of the new turn lanes will also expedite traffic flow, especially along Plaza Parkway." - Mike Horney, Public Services Director

Plaza Parkway 

To expedite travel for vehicles heading to the frequently visited Parkway Plaza, there will be an additional left turn lane added to Fairview Drive to alleviate car congestion at the intersection. A lane will be added dedicated to right turns onto Cotton Grove Rd.

With Plaza Parkway being home to frequently visited businesses including Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, Belk and more, vehicles exiting the shopping center during peak hours experience longer than normal wait times.

With the expected popularity of a new Sheetz and the continual rise in popularity of Parkway Plaza, the City is looking forward to the safety and commute improvements that come with this project. “I am very excited about the safety aspects of this project. We ask for everyone’s patience, but when complete, will make this area an even better place to travel.” - Mike Horney, Public Services Director