The US$346 million project to add an express lane to I-485 in either direction around Charlotte, NC, should be complete in Q3 2025 according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Meanwhile, NCDOT has also awarded a $105 million contract for construction of the southern section of the I-26 Asheville Connector, which runs from the Smokey Park Highway interchange on I-40 to the I-26 interchange.
The I-485 widening project commenced in 2019 and was originally planned to open by 2022. The work is adding express lanes to the stretch of I-485 between Interstate 77 and US 74. It is also adding a general-purpose lane in each direction between Rea and Providence roads.
NCDOT’s I-26 Asheville Connector project will be carried out by the Archer-Wright Joint Venture. The work will help to alleviate congestion in the area, increase the service life of the roadway, and provide better access to western Buncombe County.
This contract includes rehabilitation to the concrete pavement on I-40 at Exit 44 and separating the off-ramp into Exit 44A and Exit 44B — one for traffic heading east on Patton Avenue and another for traffic heading west on Smokey Park Highway. There will also be widening, and upgrades made to the interchange from I-40 East to I-26 East.
NCDOT will work closely with Archer-Wright to notify the public of any major closures during construction. The third contract, for the western section of the Connector — the stretch from I-26 to Haywood Road and improvements to Brevard and Amboy roads — is scheduled to go out for bidding in 2025. Upon completion of the three sections, the entirety of the new I-26 Connector will be a median-divided freeway, accessible only by interchanges.
In addition, blasting operations have been taking place on the NC 105 bridge project in Watauga County. Crews from Wright Brother’s Construction Company previously performed similar operations to replace the 69-year-old bridge over the Watauga River.
Crews carried out blasting operations on the north side of the work zone near the intersection of NC 105 and Broadstone Road. Hauling operations occurred throughout the project along with ongoing utility relocations by Skyline and AT&T contractors.
