Rock Quarry Road night closures mark major milestone in complete 540 Project

Christopher DeWitt

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The Complete 540 Project is entering a crucial phase this week as Rock Quarry Road in Raleigh will close nightly from Monday, October 27, through Friday, October 31, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The closure affects the stretch between Auburn Knightdale Road and Old Baucom Road and is part of the ongoing effort to extend the Triangle Expressway eastward. Once complete, the project will connect the I-40/I-42/Toll N.C. 540 interchange near Garner and Clayton with the existing I-540/I-87/U.S. 64/U.S. 264 interchange in Knightdale.

Drivers needing to access Rock Quarry Road north of the closure will use this detour route:

  • Continue driving on Rock Quarry Road 

  • Turn right onto Old Baucom Road 

  • Turn left onto Brown Field Road  

  • Turn left onto Battle Bridge Road 

  • Turn left onto Auburn Knightdale Road 

  • Turn right onto Rock Quarry Road 

According to the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, this phase represents one of the final pushes in a decades-long effort to complete the 540 loop around Raleigh. Phase 1, from N.C. 55 to I-40, opened in September 2024. Phase 2, which is now underway, includes six new interchanges, 24 bridges, 14 culverts and 10 miles of new roadway, with full opening to traffic expected in 2028.

Over the coming months, residents can expect continued nighttime work, land clearing and utility relocations. The finished corridor will be a six-lane, 70 mph all-electronic toll facility designed to improve traffic flow and connectivity throughout Wake County.For more information about the current 540 construction project, visit the North Carolina Department of Transportation at www.ncdot.gov/projects/complete-540/Pages/planned-construction-activities.aspx.

Christopher DeWitt is a journalist based in Raleigh, NC with seven years of experience covering local news in Wake, Duplin, and Onslow Counties. He holds a BS in Psychology from Regent University. He got his start writing for a U.S. Marine Corps newspaper, The Globe, in Camp Lejeune, NC, in 2017 to 2019. He then began freelancing for The Duplin Times in 2021 covering issues ranging from features on local leaders to community-wide events. His passion for community journalism brought him to Crossmap Raleigh in 2025. He strives to ensure every voice in Wake County is heard.