Cybersecurity expert Parker Garrison proposes smarter fix for Pinehurst traffic circle as NCDOT finalizes 2025 design

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) hosted a public meeting from 3 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 28 at The Fair Barn in Pinehurst. Large-scale renditions of the final design stood in select areas for public viewing while NCDOT officials answered questions and collected comments.

NCDOT developed the final design after studying more than 20 alternatives to improving the five-legged traffic circle, which they said is experiencing increasing congestion and delays and an increase in crashes.

According to NCDOT, without improvements, traffic circle crashes are expected to increase.

NCDOT Director of Engineers Reuben Blakley said they used the state’s demographer’s studies on traffic growth and the Sandhills MPO traffic studies on zones to estimate future numbers.

Blakley said they had two NCDOT members out sick, but nine were at the event and a consulting group to answer the public’s questions.

“There will be no relocations, but will have some right-of-way claims, but they will be minimized as we move forward. What is on the [final] maps is worst-case scenario,” Blakley said.

The final 2025 design for the Pinehurst traffic circle reflects public feedback collected from 2024. Several property owners had vigorously opposed selling their property to NCDOT. Residents urged NCDOT to preserve the circle’s historic look and wooded canopy, reduce right-of-way issues and avoid extensive tree removal. Engineers revised the plan to maintain the circle’s character, scale back land acquisition and limit clearing.

The final design does not reflect the ingenious concept proposed by Parker Garrison, who works in cybersecurity. But there is hope they will adopt his ideas. NCDOT has a copy.

The 27-year-old “cybersecurity badass,” as his shirt declared, and he reiterated as his preferred field, presented a concept to Washington DC Metrorail during the 2019 open submissions, and they accepted it. Garrison’s concept is currently under study.

His Metrorail design increases the core capacity, thus reducing wrecks and avoiding the $50 billion expense of tunneling under the Potomac River.

Garrison lives in Charlotte and after running a 5k, drove down to his parents’ home in Seven Lakes to attend the NCDOT event.

Garrison said his design included synchronized lights, and they could shift his design onto theirs. He pointed out NCDOT improvement areas on the final design.

Garrison presented his traffic circle concept to the Village of Pinehurst Nov. 12, 2024.

NCDOT dropped an earlier continuous-flow intersection concept that drew strong public opposition and replaced it with a new connector road between N.C. Highway 211 and N.C. Highway 2, plus a smaller roundabout at N.C. Highway 2 and Airport Road. The plan includes landscaping to maintain the village aesthetic and remains open to public comment through Nov. 2025.

Public comments during the Oct. 28 review of the final design included:

Good compromise.

They listened to the citizens.

I lived here 30 years and they had 16 ideas over time and one time suggested a circle at each highway entrance.

Leave the circle alone.

Wish it had a connector outside of Foxfire, but they said the area had too many environmental issues.

They have semis coming through!

We’re concerned about the Yadkin Trail markers built by Rassie Wicker. They were built by Mr. Tufts in 1927, and one was destroyed with the construction of U.S. Highway 1. For some reason, NCDOT did not register the markers as historical. They are on Page Road on the right and near Manly Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines.

William and Lynn said they were concerned about their property value on Pinehurst Manor because they [NCDOT] are planning on cutting trees at the U-turn light toward Belk. The trees are a buffer and without their beauty, property values drop. William said NCDOT will restore the land, and we hope so because we can see the U-turn outside our window. They are doing their level best.

The circle should stay as it is, but tune it up with more in and out lanes.

Biggest offender on the circle is phone use and golf carts.

With the US Open, there was more traffic and no accidents. We could just hire a couple of state troopers.

In the future, AI will analyze and issue tickets for phone users and traffic violations. Tesla software is being installed on self-driving cars and in the next few years people won’t realize how much they will want it. AI will enhance the expense of driving and lower accident rates.

Oct. 28, 2025

Stephanie M. Sellers

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