Motorists will encounter traffic pattern changes next week as construction progresses on the northern segment of the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project in Davidson County.
Weather permitting, the N.C. Department of Transportation will close a small section of I-85 North at Belmont Road (Exit 86) from Monday at 10 p.m. to Tuesday at 6 a.m. NCDOT scheduled the closure for the overnight hours to minimize the impact on traffic.
The closure is necessary for crews to install nine concrete girders on the new Belmont Road bridge over the interstate. The girders will provide the support structure for the part of the bridge that vehicles will drive on. The new bridge, which will help traffic flow more safely and efficiently, is scheduled to open this spring.
During the closure, motorists traveling north on I-85 must follow a signed detour route. They will get off at the Belmont Road exit ramp, drive across Belmont Road and go down the I-85 North entrance ramp to return to the interstate. While traveling around the work zone, NCDOT encourages drivers to go slow and allow additional time to reach their destinations safely.
If crews are not able to place all nine girders during this closure, NCDOT will schedule a similar overnight closure from Tuesday at midnight to Wednesday at 6 a.m. to complete the work.
After all the girders are in position over I-85 North, NCDOT will place nine girders on the portion of the Belmont Road bridge over I-85 South. This process is scheduled to start on Wednesday and will include a detour. The department will provide more information on this closure next week.
Throughout construction, traffic flow can be monitored on the project website at www.i-85yadkinriver2.com/camera.html.
NCDOT broke ground in September 2010 on the southern segment of the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project, which involves replacing eight bridges, widening 3.3 miles of I-85 and reconstructing the N.C. 150 interchange. The northern segment extends the reach of the interstate widening 3.8 miles from north of N.C. 150 to just north of I-85 Business. Work on both phases is concurrent and should be complete by May 2013.
For more information on both phases of the $201.5 million project, visit www.i-85yadkinriver.com. To receive instant updates on traffic pattern changes, construction-related congestion and project milestones, follow NCDOT’s I-85 Twitter feed, https://twitter.com/NCDOT_I85.