Pinehurst Council Rejects NCDOT Traffic Circle Redesign
The Pinehurst Village Council voted in favor of a resolution that blocks plans for redesign of the historic Pinehurst Traffic Circle.
The Pinehurst Village Council approved a resolution Feb. 24 that blocks the North Carolina Department of Transportation's plan to redesign the 70-year-old Pinehurst Traffic Circle. Resolution 26-12 passed with a unanimous vote.
Construction wouldn't start until 2031. It would take two years to finish. Costs have ballooned from an original estimate of $54 million to $77 million, Mayor Patrick Pizzella said during the meeting.
"We've been down this road in the past," Pizzella said, per Sandhills Sentinel. "The circle is located in our National Historic District, and it has been the gateway to our village for 70 years."
NCDOT withdrew an earlier "Shifted Pillow Continuous Flow Intersection" proposal in 2024 after public opposition and a council vote against it. The agency introduced a revised design in 2025 that could require eminent domain. It might affect properties in nearby neighborhoods.
Mayor Pro Tem John Taylor questioned NCDOT's traffic projections after new population data came out. The North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management now estimates Moore County's population at 141,000 by 2050, which is a 21.7% decrease from a 2023 projection of 180,000.
Taylor said projected growth rates for Moore County and surrounding counties do not support that traffic increase. The resolution encourages NCDOT to implement smaller changes. These include better signage, rumble strips, improved sightlines, and speed adjustments.
The council will forward the resolution to members of the General Assembly, the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of transportation, the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, and the Sandhills Metropolitan Planning Organization.
