Wendell opens larger public works campus to support growth
Wendell’s new public works campus is more than three times the size of the old one, with bays for 50,000-pound trucks as the town’s population has doubled.
Wendell opened a much larger public works campus Thursday, giving town crews more room for repairs, fleet storage and storm response just as the town’s population has surged to 19,687.
The new campus at 411 Lake Glad Rd. is more than 6,000 square feet, more than three times the size of the previous building, which was under 2,000 square feet. Town officials said the expansion is meant to keep pace with the demands of a fast-growing community in eastern Wake County, where more homes, more roads and more equipment mean more daily pressure on basic municipal services.
Inside the campus, the town added an employee breakroom and kitchen, along with a training room that can seat up to 48 people. The maintenance shop also grew from about 4,500 square feet to more than 10,000 square feet, with specialized bays for large vehicles, new storage, tire and air service areas, office space and access to forklifts. The facility now includes a static lift that can service vehicles up to 14,000 pounds and three drive-through bays with moveable lift arms that can handle vehicles up to 50,000 pounds, including limb trucks and bucket trucks.
The site also has a wash and storage bay for the town’s largest equipment, along with concrete and asphalt surfaces designed to aid cleaning and stormwater protection. Generator power supports the campus, which town officials said will help keep operations moving during outages and freezing weather. There is room for multiple freeze-sensitive vehicles indoors, a detail that matters when winter temperatures threaten water lines, vehicles and other equipment that keep town services running.
The opening comes after more than two years of work on the project. In December 2024, town leaders said the new public works yard was taking shape at 411 Lake Glad Rd. while the old facility at 450 Lake Glad Rd. remained in use. The town expects the public works department to grow to 29 full-time employees and three part-time employees by 2027, underscoring how sharply Wendell’s service needs are expanding.
Mayor Virginia Gray has said the project reflects the town’s commitment to investing in infrastructure that meets residents’ needs and supports public works staff. Wendell’s official website is now highlighting the campus as open to the public and lists Public Works at 919-365-4822, placing the new building squarely at the center of day-to-day town operations rather than as a ceremonial project.
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