QUICK UPDATE: Olive Chapel, Data Center, Service Period Dates
Sure enough, as soon as I sent the last newsletter, more info was released.
So I said in my last email that I was holding off until I got another update about Olive Chapel Road, and that maybe me finally sending the email would be what prompts NCDOT to update their page. It turns out that’s exactly what happened.
Sept 5th Olive Chapel Update
Reminder that this is the official NCDOT Project Page. Here is their Sept 5th Update:
The project team is in the final stages of design for the culvert, and the project is on track to begin construction in Winter 2025 as planned. Utility relocation construction, however, began the week of September 1, 2025. Starting with the utility relocation and continuing through the project duration, the road closure limits will expand slightly in the project area (between Chapel Ridge Road and Pearson Farms Road); access to individual properties along Olive Chapel Road will be maintained. Patterson Grove Road, Ashley Downs Drive (eastern entrance), and Moraine Ridge Road at Olive Chapel Road will be closed. The public is encouraged to follow posted road closure signage; for your safety, do not move or attempt to drive or walk around any barricades, as they are providing separation between the public and ongoing utility construction. NCDOT will also continue outreach to affected property owners to complete the needed right-of-way (ROW) acquisitions.
So there you have it. You should see some activity out there in the coming days and weeks; that would be all of the utility providers (including the Town of Apex) moving our utilities over to accommodate the larger culvert. The schedule on this page has not changed:
“Winter 2025”. But wait, there’s more:
NCDOT Comments Are Interesting
If you dig into the project page, you can find some more info in the public questions/responses from NCDOT.
Q: How long will construction take?
A: The project proposes an accelerated construction schedule of 45 days. Under the current schedule, construction would begin in Winter 2025 and is anticipated to extend into early 2026 (please note this schedule may change).
Q: How far will the new sidewalk extend? Will the project plant trees to shade the sidewalk, and could it limit the sight distance at intersections?
A: A five (5) foot sidewalk will be constructed from just east of Beaver Creek and extended west, tying the existing sidewalk. The project does not propose planting trees to shade the sidewalk.
So there you have it, 45 days of actual construction once we get the ROW/utilities straightened out.
They also included a picture of the eventual road section on their project page:
So there you go.
Data Center Submission Accessible Online
In my last email I told you the data center had officially submitted and would soon be made available on our interactive development map (the typical place Apex posts submissions). That hasn’t happened yet, and I’m sure it will soon, but as long as I was sending another email I wanted to add a link to an N&O article which has a copy of the submission (presumably they did a public records request, or the applicant provided it to them)
One change people have picked up on is the submission now describes it as a 300MW data center, whereas previous descriptions were around 250MW.
Service Period Date was Incorrect on Last Bill
The Town of Apex posted a video explaining that the billing durations for the previous two periods (48 days and then a short 18 day period) were, as many suspected, incorrect. The periods were actually closer to even, as they should have been.
During that month we were transitioning to a new software system and a new set of meters. I dug into what happened here, and from what I understand when the last set of meter reads were exported from the old system into the new system, the new system assumed that software import date was the “read” date (thus setting the “billing period”) and not the earlier actual date the meter was read that was in the old system.
This did not impact the amount billed, which is always based off of the value on the meter. The actual charges were correct; using the incorrect date only impacted the “service period” and “days” calculation.
I know this has caused some confusion for Apex customers, and for that I am sorry. I do believe we are on a path to normalcy now that the software migration is complete and the majority of the new meters have been installed. We are working on correcting the bills. This specific error will not and cannot happen again, because that one time migration is done. No late fees or other penalties will be charged to anyone as a result of this incident.
The Town Manager will give another update at the Sept 9th Town Council meeting, which will be available online. If you still have questions with your bill, check the FAQ (this issue has been added), please stop by town hall, or reach out to me directly and I will get you the assistance you need.
-terry