High Winds Down Power Lines, Close NC 55 Between Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs

Strong winds downed five power lines and numerous trees along N.C. 55 Thursday, forcing the closure of a stretch of the highway that connects Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs in southern Wake County.

The affected section runs between the Holly Springs Walmart and Dickens Road in Fuquay-Varina, according to a Thursday statement from Fuquay-Varina town spokesperson Susan Weis. The closure is expected to remain in effect until 6 p.m.

MasTec crews are on site working to restore power and clear debris from the roadway, Weis said. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the affected section of N.C. 55 while that work continues.

The closure disrupts one of the primary travel corridors between the two fast-growing towns in the county's southern tier. N.C. 55 carries significant daily traffic between Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs, and a full closure between a major retail anchor like the Holly Springs Walmart and a residential connector like Dickens Road leaves commuters and residents with few direct alternatives along that alignment.

No information has been released regarding the number of customers without power, which utility company owns the affected lines, or whether the 6 p.m. reopening target applies to full power restoration as well as the roadway. MasTec is a national infrastructure contractor that frequently works with electric utilities on emergency restoration; the specific utility it is serving on this job has not been identified in town communications.