Cary business owners challenge $84 million railroad crossing proposal

Dozens of small business owners in Cary are opposing a proposed $84 million transportation project that could force established businesses to leave the area near Maynard Road and Chatham Street. The owners are raising concerns about the potential loss of family livelihoods and community connections as the N.C. Department of Transportation considers improvements to a railroad crossing.

The proposal calls for lowering Maynard Road and constructing a bridge, creating a new intersection that could displace nearby businesses. NCDOT identified the crossing for upgrades after several safety issues, including a collision between a train and a construction trailer in May. Construction on the project could start in 2030.

Owners met at Toyo Sake to coordinate their response and discuss the proposal's possible effects. Those involved include furniture retailers, barbershops and Mexican, Indian and Nepali restaurants. They are submitting comments to NCDOT and have also brought their concerns to a Cary Town Council meeting to draw attention to the potential displacement.

For Li-Chun Young, whose family operates The Sea Depot seafood store, the prospect of moving carries an emotional weight. Her family has been in the store for 20 years, and she described watching three generations of customers come through its doors. Young said customers, as well as owners, are distressed by the possibility that the businesses could be displaced.

Esmeralda Angel of Esmeralda Grill said the proposal could put at risk the restaurant her family worked to establish. Her mother began with a food truck before opening the restaurant, which Angel described as the fulfillment of a family dream. Angel said her mother provides jobs and contributes to the community, making the prospect of displacement feel unfair.

Angel recalled both parents spending long days at the restaurant when it first opened. She and her sister also spent much of their time there, making the business central to their family life. "That's my home, essentially," she said.

NCDOT told ABC11 that it is considering the business owners' concerns. The department said feedback from businesses and the wider community plays an important role in developing the project. It said it is working with owners to explain the proposed improvements, outline potential effects on their businesses and offer support throughout the process.

Young said she wants to find a way to preserve the businesses and keep the community together. With construction possible in 2030, uncertainty over where displaced businesses could relocate remains a major concern for her. "We don't know where to go," she said.