Two Rowan County road projects are still a few years away from construction after receiving funding Thursday through a highway safety program.

The first project would be at the intersection of N.C. Highway 150 and State Route 1547 — Graham and Caldwell roads. It would straighten a side road at the intersection to a 90-degree angle. For the second project, Department of Transportation crews would install guardrails from the Salisbury city limits to the Davie County line along U.S. Highway 601.

Both projects are funded through the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. With both projects combined, Rowan will receive about $1.13 million for road improvements.

However, neither project is scheduled to start soon. The N.C. Highway 150 project has an expected let date of Jan. 2018, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. Currently, the project is being designed by DOT engineers. A description of the project says it will better position motorists stopped at State Route 1547 to see oncoming traffic.

The second project — guardrails on U.S. 601 — doesn’t have a project number or an estimated let date. It’s intended to lessen the severity of lane departure crashes, according to information provided by DOT.

Both projects were funded Wednesday as part of an announcement by Gov. Pat McCrory. Including projects in Rowan, $50 million was awarded for highway safety projects throughout the state. A list provided by the governor’s office shows Wake County receiving funding for the largest number of projects. The most expensive project included in his announcement was in Columbus County, at $3.2 million.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.