Lane Construction has been awarded a $337 million package of road works by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The US-based Webuild subsidiary will carry out the design and build contract to widen and modernise the Interstate 85 (I-85) in Gaston County, NC.
The project will involve work to a 6km stretch of I-85 between NC 7 (Exit 23) and east of NC 273 (Exit 27). The project will boost safety and connectivity for road users according to the contractor. At present this stretch of the highway has three lanes in either direction but the work will see the route being widened so that it has four lanes in either direction, boosting capacity and traffic flow significantly.
Six bridges will be either widened or replaced, while two interchanges will be reconstructed. The work includes improving the intersection between Belmont Mount Holly Road and the US 29/74.
Completion is expected by 2029 and the contractor says that it will be able to carry out the project without having to close the route to traffic, while congestion due to the works will be minimised. This is one of the most strategic highway sections for commuters of the Charlotte metropolitan area, with congestion causing delays at peak periods.