The N.C. Department of Transportation will temporarily close the exit ramp from I-85 North to Kannapolis Parkway (Exit 54) at midnight tonight, weather permitting. The ramp will reopen at 5 a.m. Friday.
The closure is necessary for crews to make some improvements to the ramp’s surface in conjunction with the I-85 widening project. The $125 million project includes widening I-85 from four to eight lanes from south of Bruton Smith Boulevard to N.C. 73 in Cabarrus County, and converting the interchanges with Poplar Tent Road and N.C. 73 to diverging diamond interchanges. More information on the project is available at NCDOT’s Charlotte Outer Loop page.
Motorists wanting to avoid the closure can take I-85 North to Poplar Tent Road (Exit 52), turn right, follow to George Liles Parkway, and turn left to cross over the interstate back to Kannapolis Parkway.
For real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter.