South Brooks Street closes from East Roosevelt Avenue to Elm Avenue Monday through Nov. 20, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., for a new water line. A detour is signed.

Updated Oct. 22: a separate stretch of South Brooks Street, between East Owen Avenue and East Wait Avenue, was closed Tuesday, Oct. 20, after construction workers ruptured a gas line. Wake Forest Town Hall and Norse Brewing were evacuated, and the town asked nearby residents to shelter in place. The leak was repaired and the order lifted the same day, the town said.

South Brooks Street will be closed between East Roosevelt Avenue and Elm Avenue for five weeks starting Monday, Oct. 19. Crews are installing a new water line.

The closure runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day through Friday, Nov. 20, the Town of Wake Forest said in a traffic alert. A signed detour will send drivers around the work.

The town said access to every business along South Brooks Street will be kept open for the length of the job.

Whose project this is

The work is part of Raleigh Water’s Wake Forest Water Main Replacement and Repair project. Raleigh Water runs the water system that serves Wake Forest. Its contractor, Park Construction of NC, is doing the digging.

The city of Raleigh’s project page describes the job this way:

  • water main improvements and replacements in 17 areas of the Wake Forest system
  • work on gravity sewer lines and storm water pipes
  • part of the South and North Allen roadway
  • a budget of $14.5 million
  • construction planned to finish in winter 2027

The same contractor has closed other downtown streets for this project. In September it closed East Holding Avenue between South White Street and South Main Street for a day of paving, according to a town alert.

Visiting town offices downtown

Town Hall’s mailing address is 301 S. Brooks St., and the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre is at 405 S. Brooks St. The town’s alert does not say whether either building’s entrance or parking is affected. If you have business at either one during the day, check the town’s Traffic Alerts Map before you go, or call Town Hall at 919-435-9400.

The closure ends at 5 p.m. each day. The town’s Strategic Plan open house at the Renaissance Centre runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, after the daily closure ends. Read our story on the open house.

Other road work this week

The town posted two more alerts for the week of Oct. 19:

  • Ligon Mill Road. One lane, with flaggers and two-way traffic taking turns, from Quail Bluff Court to Burlington Mills Road, Monday, Oct. 19, through Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. A contractor for the planned Burlington Mills Apartments is widening the road and laying a drainage pipe, the town said.
  • GFiber cable installation. Lane reductions with flaggers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, according to the town’s notice, on:
  • Burlington Mills Road from Urial Drive to Deer Chase Trail
  • Ligon Mill Road from Burlington Mills Road to Taylors Ridge Road
  • Marshall Farm Street from Rogers Road to Heritage Regency Drive
  • Heritage Regency Drive from Marshall Farm Street to Forestville Road

What it means for you

  • Downtown drivers: expect to follow the signed detour around South Brooks Street from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, from Monday until Nov. 20.
  • Shoppers and business owners: the town says every business on South Brooks Street stays reachable during the work.
  • Ligon Mill Road is down to one lane for much of the day through Oct. 28, in two separate stretches. Allow extra time.
  • Questions about the water line go to Raleigh Water’s project contact, Blake Bartholomew, at blake.bartholomew@raleighnc.gov. Water main breaks go to Raleigh Water at 919-996-3245.
  • Our road construction and closures page lists every current closure in town and is updated weekly.