New road projects don't include Rowan

Gov. Bev Perdue announced that 18 contracts totaling $56.6 million have been awarded for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina, including 11 projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

None of the projects are in Rowan County.

The contracts were awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law.

"These recovery projects continue to help us to put North Carolinians to work and to deliver critical infrastructure improvements that will have a long-lasting economic impact on our state," said Perdue.

The 11 recovery projects are located in Anson, Cabarrus, Craven, Greene, Iredell, Johnston, Nash, Orange, Rockingham, Wilson and Yadkin counties. The seven other projects are located in Cabarrus, Chatham, Randolph, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly and Union counties.

The bids received on all 18 projects advertised came in 16.5 percent, or about $11.1 million, below NCDOT estimates.

Projects in the area include:

- Renovation of rest areas on I-85 northbound and southbound near N.C. 3 in Cabarrus County. A $1.5 million contract was awarded to Mountain Creek Contractors Inc. of Catawba. Work can start as early as Nov. 30, and is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 15, 2010.

- Widening Brawley School Road (S.R. 1100) from two to four lanes over 1.2 miles from east of Williamson Road (S.R. 1109) to east of Winghaven Court in Iredell County. The contract also includes constructing an interchange at I-77. A $22.6 million contract was awarded to W.C. English Inc. of Lynchburg, Va. Construction can start as early as Nov. 30, with the project to be finished by July 1, 2013.

- Milling, resurfacing and shoulder reconstruction of 1.9 miles of U.S. 601 from N.C. 24/27 to Carriker Road (S.R. 1106), 1.5 miles of N.C. 73 from Odell School Road (S.R. 1451) to the Cabarrus Crossing development, and two miles of N.C. 24/27 from the bridge approach east of Rocky River to the start of the curb and gutter and on the eastbound lanes from Flowe Store Road (S.R. 1132) to the end of the divided road section, and 7.4 miles over five sections of secondary roads in Cabarrus County. A $2.5 million contract was awarded to Blythe Construction Inc. of Charlotte. Work can begin as early as March 17, 2010, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 18, 2010.

- Milling, resurfacing and shoulder reconstruction of 7.8 miles over five sections of secondary roads in Stanly County. A $1.4 million contract was awarded to J.T. Russell & Sons Inc. of Albemarle. The project can get underway as early as March 17, 2010 and is expected to be finished by Aug. 18, 2010.

For more information about funding for infrastructure improvements in North Carolina, as well as other NCDOT projects and activities, visit www.ncdot.gov.