With clear weather on the horizon, the N.C. Department of Transportation plans to move traffic onto a newly constructed section of I-85 North in Davidson County on Friday. The traffic shift was originally scheduled for last Friday, but a stormy forecast caused the department to reschedule the work.
At 8 p.m., the barriers will go up, officially moving traffic along a one-quarter mile section of I-85 North near the N.C. 150 interchange from the two existing lanes to the two new lanes. Traffic will remain on the new lanes in this area for the duration of the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project, which will expand the interstate from two lanes in each direction to four lanes in each direction.
The traffic shift is necessary to allow crews to continue work to widen and realign I-85 North. With traffic moved onto the new lanes, they will have the space needed to safely remove the asphalt and concrete that compromise the existing lanes, grade the land and build the remaining two new lanes.
Along with the traffic shift, NCDOT will temporarily close the ramp from I-85 North to N.C. 150. The closure will start Friday at 8 p.m. and end Saturday at 7 a.m. Drivers can use the following detour route: Union Church Road to U.S. 29/70 to Old Salisbury Road to Belmont Road and follow the entrance ramp back to I-85 North.
NCDOT plans to move all traffic on I-85 North from Long Ferry Road (Exit 81) in Rowan County to just north of the N.C. 150 interchange in Davidson County onto the two newly constructed lanes by early May.
NCDOT broke ground in September 2010 on the southern segment of the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project, which involves replacing eight bridges, reconstructing the N.C. 150 interchange and widening 3.3 miles of I-85. 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.