Division 5 FAQ's

In the event you discover any damage or obstruction in a public roadway that might pose a hazard to motorists, you should immediately contact the local law enforcement office nearest you. If necessary, they in turn will contact the appropriate office of the Division of Highways . Should the debris or damage not pose a serious hazard contact the County Maintenance Office to make a report. If you wish to contact your County Maintenance Office, click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county.

In case of an emergency involving roadways, (such as a slide or wash-out), who do I need to contact?

In case of an emergency involving roadways that unexpectedly become unsafe, local law enforcement should be notified immediately in order that they may take the appropriate public safety measures. They will follow through on contacting the Division of Highways to dispatch the necessary crew(s).

In bad weather how can I find out when my road will be cleared?

The Division's maintenance crews work diligently to clear the roadways of debris after catastrophic events such as hurricanes. Yet when these events occur, it is practically impossible to define specific schedules. The Division has established policies regarding the order in which roads are cleared. (Interstate highways first, Primary and Major Secondary roads next, then Paved Secondary roads, and then remaining secondary roads) In the event an emergency rescue or evacuation must occur, contact the local Rescue Squad.

Who do I contact to request that a gravel road be scraped or new gravel applied?

For maintenance on state maintained gravel roads contact your County Maintenance Office. Someone there will be able to assist you and answer your questions. If you wish to contact your County Maintenance Office click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county..

How do I request a culvert be installed in a driveway or to report a blocked culvert or ditch?

Installing a culvert is a task that requires joint commitments and cooperation from the land owner and the Division of Highways. To initiate such a request, or to report culvert or ditch blockage contact your County Maintenance Office. If you wish to contact your County Maintenance Office click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county.

Where do I report obstructed view at an an intersection?

This is a matter to bring to the attention of your County Maintenance Office. If you wish to contact your County Maintenance Office click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county.

Where do I inquire about litter pickup along a road?

If you wish to report a litter problem, or to volunteer in the "Adopt-A-Highway" program, contact your County Maintenance Office. Each County from time to time devotes resources to litter pickup and each one also has a designated coordinator for the "Adopt-A-Highway" program. Click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county. The Department is not involved in enforcing litter laws. These violations should be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

If my roadside needs to be mowed or if my property is damaged by a roadside mowing crew, who should I call?

Mowing contractors are supervised through County Maintenance Offices. If you have a request or problem regarding mowing, click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county.

How can I get a road added to the State System?

There is a specified procedure to add roads to the State System and approval must be granted before such additions can be made. If you would like to pursue the addition of your road to the State System, contact your County Maintenance Office or the appropriate District Engineer's Office to receive information and guidance through the process. Click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county.

When will a particular road be eligible for paving or resurfacing?

This matter is determined by planning and budget allocations for your area. Reports describing schedules for paving are often published periodically in local newspapers, but if you would like to check the status of a planned project or to suggest a road be included in consideration for the future, contact your County Maintenance Engineer. Click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county.

Can I get a map of the county from the State?

County maps are available at both County Maintenance Offices and at District Engineer's Offices. The availability might be somewhat limited at County Offices, but should you wish to visit your District Office, they should have an ample supply of maps for their respective counties. Click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for your county.

What is the NCDOT right of way on a particular road?

To get the most accurate answer to that question you should contact the Right of Way Office in Wilmington. An agent there should be able to assist you with any right of way questions you may have. Click the "PHONE DIRECTORY" link above to find the contact information for the Right of Way department information as well as that of additional departments within the Division.

Who do I contact to obtain a permit for oversize, overweight, or overlength loads?

In order to obtain an Overweight, Overlength, or Oversize Permit, you must contact the Central Permit Unit, located in Raleigh. . The phone number of the Central Permit Unit is 888-574-6683. Please have the following information ready when you call:

Type vehicle being used for haul; (i.e., tractor/trailer or truck)
Applicant's name, address, and telephone number
Gross weight, gross licensed weight, total no. axles of combination
Width (legal is 8')
Length (overall length is from the front of the truck to the back of the trailer including overhang of load, if any)
Height (legal is 13'6")
Front overhang (if any), Rear overhang (if any)
Commodity transported or towed
Origin, destination, requested routes of travel (to include Interstate, US, NC, and County Road Numbers)
Trailer license no. & state registered in, truck license no. & state registered in (If moving a mobile home you will need the serial number from the mobile home.)
You will need to inform permit officer which District or Division DOT office is nearest you. (this will be where the issue is printed)

After ordering the permit from the Central Permit Unit, a pre-issue will be printed in the local DOT office you provided at the time of application. Please call the local DOT office before pick-up to make sure your issue has been received. A fee of $12.00, $24.00, or $36.00 will be charged upon receipt of permit.

House moves are done through local Division and District Offices and require the same information as single trip permits. Local Town Police and officials must be notified and arrangements made for State Highway Patrol escort by the permitee. Fee for housemove application is $20.00. If the application is approved, there is no fee for the permit. Housemoves should be done by licensed housemovers.

A copy of permit applications (for reference purposes) may be obtained from either the Division or any District office.

Can I get a "Slow, Children Playing" sign?

No; this sign is not approved for use on state roads for several reasons. The sign may convey to parents and children the message that they are protected if they play in the street when actually there is no such protection; it may make parents less vigilant if they think a sign protects their children; and "Warning" signs are supposed to advise of unforseen hazards. The presence of children in a residential area should not be unexpected. The recommended treatment is a speed limit.

Can't you lower the speed limit so that traffic will slow down?

The DOT looks at several criteria in setting speed limits. These include roadway alignment, sight distance, 85th percentile speed (a weighted average speed), crash history, and development. For any sign to be effective, it must command the respect of road users. This means speed limits must be reasonable and enforced. The NCDOT is responsible for establishing speed limits, but local police, the State Highway Patrol, and Sheriff 's Departments have enforcement responsibility.

What is the speed limit on my road?

If no signs are posted, the General Statutes of North Carolina set all speed limits outside of municipalities at 55 m.p.h. and municipal limits at 35 m.p.h. These can be changed by ordinances enacted by the NCDOT. Changes, either higher or lower, inside city limits, require the agreement of the municipality and the NCDOT. If signs are not posted in areas outside municipalities, the speed limit is officially 55 m.p.h. This does not mean it is recommended to drive that fast; motorists should always drive at reasonable and prudent speeds as dictated by driving conditions. When this office conducts a speed zone study and recommends a speed limit, we draft the ordinance and submit it to the State Traffic Engineer's office for approval. When it is approved, our Traffic Services unit installs the speed limit signs.

How can I get a speed limit changed?

Contact our Traffic Engineering staff and request a speed zone study. Changing development often affects operating speed conditions, and may warrant changes in the speed limit by the NCDOT. We do not normally lower speed limits on dead end roads less than a mile long.

Can I get a "Blind" or "Hidden Driveway" sign?

No, the responsibility for providing a safe driveway is that of the driveway owner. A sign does not improve the view or make the driveway safer. Vehicles entering the road from driveways are required to yield to traffic on the road. For vegetation along the highway right-of-way obscuring the sight distance, call your county maintenance office.

How can I find out how much traffic uses a given road?

The NCDOT's Statewide Planning Branch publishes traffic count maps each year. Information is collected during a year and usually published by April of the next year. The Traffic Engineering office has up to the last ten years' editions. These maps may be viewed in our Division and District offices or online here. A verbal report can be given over the phone. An 8-1/2" by 11" copy from a map can be provided at no charge by contacting the Traffic Engineering section in the Division Office.

Who's responsible for the reflectors on the road?

Reflectors are installed on more heavily traveled roads with centerline markings when they are resurfaced, and are installed on major construction projects. The Traffic Engineering office lets a contract each year for the installation of new markers and the replacement of worn out lenses. All primary routes, and secondary roads with over 3,000 vehicles per day are considered for markers. To have a road considered for markers, contact the traffic engineering unit.

Why do some paved roads not have centerlines and edgelines painted?

Generally, dead end roads and subdivision roads do not require marking. Exceptions have been made where a traffic engineering investigation has determined that safety is enhanced by providing markings. Striping of residential roads is only considered if requested in writing by the Homeowners Association. Associations need to canvass their members on this issue because many residents often don't want a road painted.

Who fixes broken traffic signals?

Except for signals inside the Cities of Durham and Raleigh, DOT Signal Technicians are dispatched from the Division Traffic Services office ((919) 477-2914). They may respond from wherever in the Division they are working. Very often a signal they are called to is working fine when they get there. It is very helpful to report what the signal appears to be doing wrong (flashing, power out, bulbs out, etc.), and leave a follow-up phone number where the technician can call to ask what problem was observed. Police, Sheriff, and the State Highway Patrol will also relay "trouble calls" to our technicians.

For Emergencies in the Cities of Durham or Raleigh, call 911.
For Emergencies and after hour signal and sign repair outside the Cities of Durham or Raleigh, call (800)-662-7956.
For Non-Emergencies in the City of Durham, call Larry McGlothlin at: (919) 560-4366 during normal business hours or call 911; after hours and on weekends.
For Non-Emergencies in the City of Raleigh, call H. P. Humphries at: (919) 890-3021 during normal business hours or call 911; after hours and on weekends.

The STOP sign at the end of my road has been stolen or knocked down.

A missing STOP sign is an urgent matter to us, and we will respond immediately to replace one. If the sign is on or entering a state road please call Traffic Services or your local county maintenance office to report these. If the sign is on a municipal street, call that municipaility. If before or after normal working hours please call the after-hours number (800)-662-7956.

Who's going to get this traffic paint off of my vehicle?

Painting centerlines and edgelines on roads is a routine part of highway maintenance. When painting, our forces use a "slow moving caravan" to identify the work area and protect the paint job and traffic from each other. We also place cones on the wet paint, and warning signs are placed in advance of the work area before painting begins or are on the lead caravan vehicle.

If you think the Department is at fault for the paint on your vehicle, you can receive a claim form from the Traffic Services unit. The decision to pay a claim or not rests with our insurance company. Although the paint we use now is water-based, once it is dry it is difficult to remove. We recommend you talk to a professional body shop about removal.

Best of all, if you find yourself in a long line of traffic moving slowly, it may be because the flashing lights and yellow vehicles way up in front are spraying paint on the centerline and edgeline, so don't ease over the line to look!

How do I get a street name sign for my road.

Street name signs are installed by the counties and municipalities. Contact your County Manager's office or emergency/911 coordinator (Do NOT call 911) to find out your county's policy for erecting street name signs. The NCDOT allows the counties by encroachment agreement to install these signs on the right-of-way so long as they conform to NCDOT standards.

What are "LOGO" signs, and who can get one?

LOGO signs are service signs that show the symbol or "logo" of the service business that is signed. Availability is limited by many factors, including the presence of other signs in the area and the number of positions on the LOGO sign. Businesses pay maintenance fees to have their signs in place.

What is "Incident Management"?

Incident Management is the effort to restore traffic flow to normal following planned and unplanned incidents (such as the State Fair, athletic events, traffic crashes, rock slides, disabled vehicles). Division 5's program is two-fold: IMAP and Traveler Information.
IMAP (Incident Management Assistance Patrol) is run by our Incident Management unit located in Wake County. We patrol 15 miles of I-85 and 13 miles of I-40 in Durham County, as well as 29 miles of I-40 and 15 miles of I-440 in Wake County.
Traveler Information is posted by Incident Management staff as it is reported to us by the IMAP drivers, other DOT forces, or the State Highway Patrol. We can program electronic message signs on I-40, I-85, I-540, and US 1. We also have 5 Highway Advisory Radios to provide motorists with more detailed information, and 37 CCTV cameras that our operators use to see and manage incidents.

View Division 5's Traffic Cameras

Travel Information

Why do they cut up the road after it is just paved?

Actually, they are removing an asphalt core. With this core the lab technician can determine the percent compaction of the asphalt pavement. If the minimum compaction percentage has not been met, the Contractor can be penalized or he may have to remove and replace the defective mix with mix that meets the compaction specifications.

Are there any alternate ways to check for compaction that do not cut holes in the roadway?

A Nuclear Density Gauge is sometimes used to check for compaction. This device allows the operator to check the compaction without cutting the pavement.

Why do they roll the road with a rubber tire roller?

The rubber tire roller, which is also referred to as a pneumatic roller, provides some compaction. It also provides a kneading action that seals the surface of the mat. This helps prevent moisture from getting into the pavement.

How hot is asphalt pavement when it is placed?

The suggested temperature is usually around 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Why do they spray tar on the old road before they pave?

The substance sprayed on the old pavement is a liquid asphalt called tack. It is a mixture of asphalt & water or asphalt & solvent. It is heated so it can be sprayed. Its main purpose is to bond the old pavement with the new.

What happens to the pavement that gets milled up?

This varies by the project, but most of the time it gets recycled and reused again in a RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement) asphalt pavement mix.

Last updated October 25, 2006

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		The North Carolina Department of Transportation