RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Transportation will soon begin work to make two busy sections of Robeson County roads safer.

According to a statement from the DOT, two curves on Tar Heel Road will be super-elevated and guardrails will be added to two bridges along that road near the county line.

Super-elevating the curves is intended to reduce car accidents and hydroplaning. The first curve is located at the intersection of Tar Heel and Denmark roads near the Zion Tabernacle Baptist Church and the second curve is located near Turnpike Road.

“Super elevations are like the curves in NASCAR racetracks, where the outside edge of the curve is at a higher elevation than the inside edge. The higher outside edge helps the car turn when it enters the curve and helps to keep the car held down on the roadway,” the statement says.

There will be no detours and no lane closures from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Mondays through Fridays. The project is set to be completed by October 2016, weather permitting.

The DOT also plans to create a signalized intersection at N.C. 711 and Chicken Road by grading, paving, remarking the pavement and adding a traffic signal.

“The work will increase safety at this intersection located just a short drive from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. N.C. 711 is a major commuter route for students to and from the university,” a DOT statement says.

No detours are expected and there will be no lane closures from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Mondays through Fridays or holidays. The intersection should be complete by July, weather permitting.

Staff report