The city of Raleigh activated its Emergency Operations Center at 6 a.m. to respond to Hurricane Irene.

The city also has established a non-emergency call center. The telephone number is 996-2999, and officials say 911 should be called only in instances that require law enforcement, fire or emergency medical assistance.

The state Department of Transportation reported at 5:50 p.m. that Interstate 440 traffic is stopped in both directions, all lanes, because of downed power lines between U.S. 401 and New Bern Avenue in northeast Raleigh.

Temporary road closures will take place between 6:30 and 10 a.m. Saturday, April 9, during the Tar Heel 10 Miler road race. The resulting altered traffic pattern will impact major roadways, including Cameron Avenue, Raleigh Street, Franklin Street and Raleigh Road.

Chapel Hill Transit (CHT) is advising its riders to expect possible schedule delays. CHT Saturday buses serving downtown Franklin Street and UNC campus area during this time may be detoured. While CHT will attempt to operate normal printed schedules on all routes, delays may occur. Riders should plan to travel after 10 a.m. to avoid possible schedule delays. For more information, please contact a CHT customer service representative at (919) 969-4900.

The Chapel Hill Police Department will have officers stationed at various intersections to guide motorists. The following information highlights plans along the race course.

For a complete list of the closures, see http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2011/04/07/63610/some-roads-closed-saturday-morning.html

Two of the worst commutes in the U.S. are in North Carolina according to GPS data.

Analyzing data compiled from smart phones and GPS devices from four million vehicles, the Daily Beast ranked the 50 most tormenting commutes in the country.

The 5.3 mile corridor of Charlotte's I-485 eastbound between Tryon Street/Exit 1 and NC-51/Exit 64 slotted in at No. 31 taking 2.14 minutes per mile at its worst.

The Triangle did not escape scrutiny getting the dubious honor of the 47th most aggravating section of asphalt. Credit the 6.9 mile ribbon of I-40 eastbound between Airport Blvd./Exit 284 and NC-54/Exit 290 where a mile crept by in 1.66 minutes.

On the way home, take deep breaths and listen to something peaceful.

Get ready to join a record 2.5 million North Carolinians projected to make holiday trips on the highway between Thursday and Jan. 2, AAA Carolinas says.

Even as gas prices rise closer to the $3 mark, the Charlotte-based motor club and travel service warns that the roads will be clogged with families traveling through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

“The economy has been expanding for the past year,” AAA spokesman Brendan Byrnes said. “Our local travel sales are up 24 percent, and our hotel sales are up 30 percent.” ... [MORE]

View Duke University Wallace Wade Stadium in a larger map

West Durham traffic will be extra busy Saturday as Duke University hosts top-ranked Alabama -- and Duke's biggest football crowd since 1994 (the Devils' last winning season), when 40,103 people showed up for the Carolina game (the Devils lost). 

Duke is urging fans to allow extra travel time before the 3:30 p.m. game.  Parking lots around Wallace Wade Stadium will be reserved for Iron Dukes members and fans with valid state-issued handicapped-parking placards.  Nearby campus entrance roads will be closed to other traffic after 12:30 p.m.

Fans coming from U.S. 15-501, Morreene Road, the Durham Freeway and Fulton Street will be funneled onto Erwin Road, where signs will direct them to eight public parking lots off Research and Flowers drives and Anderson and LaSalle streets.  Parking is $10 cash per car for the public, and free for Duke students and employees. ... [MORE]

I-40 and Wade Avenue in West Raleigh will be especially unpleasant at rush hour this afternoon, for traffic in both directions.  You might want to find another way home.

A timely repeat from Jay Price's story this morning:

View RBC Center in a larger map

This is the day 18,000 pilgrims are flocking to the RBC Center to hear inspiration from Lou Holtz, Colin Powell and Zig Ziglar about how they can be more productive at the office.

For the rest of us, productivity will go in the other direction.

The Road Worrier warned you that police and emergency management officials expect Raleigh's worst traffic jam today since October 2007 -- which is the last time RBC hosted this "Get Motivated!" tent revival -- when thousands of commuters were hours late getting to work and to school. They recommended alternate routes.  Did their advice help you?

If you're stuck in this mud this morning, what did that do for YOUR productivity?  How did today's traffic jam (warning: it will be bad this afternoon, too) affect your work, your school, your boss, your customers, your karma?

Let me hear from you, and don't forget your daytime phone number

View RBC Center in a larger map

Warning for commuters: Next Wednesday morning more than 18,000 people will converge on the RBC Center for a day of inspiration from a group of speakers (Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell, Steve Forbes, ... hey, do you have to be Republican to get hired as a motivational speaker?) at a business seminar called "Get Motivated!"

The last time this daylong workday event came to the RBC (in October 2007), it recalled the traffic jam in "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (the 1951 version with Michael Rennie, not the Keanu Reeves remake in 2008). 

Traffic was congealed for two hours on Interstate 40, Wade Avenue and surrounding West Raleigh streets. The backups were felt on the I-440 Beltline, Hillsborough Street and Blue Ridge, Trinity and Edwards Mill roads. Hundreds of ticketholders arrived late at the RBC.  Thousands of commuters arrived late to work.  Some people got mad.

So if you plan to Get Motivated on Wednesday, you'd better get there early.

But if you just want to get to work, get as far away as you can from RBC and West Raleigh. And you should leave home early, too. ... [MORE]

View Glenwood Ave & Wade Ave repair jobs in a larger map;

North Carolina highways will be extra busy this weekend, with AAA Carolinas predicting a 12 percent increase over last year in July Fourth holiday travel.

Triangle drivers were pumping self-service regular gas Wednesday for an average $2.63 a gallon, a penny more than they paid a year ago.

The state Department of Transportation will suspend most construction work from Thursday afternoon until Tuesday morning. But drivers will find traffic lanes closed through the weekend while work is suspended on roads including Wade and Glenwood avenues in Raleigh. ... [MORE]