The N.C. Department of Transportation will temporarily close the entrance ramp to I-85 South from Hargrave Road (Exit 88-Linwood) in Davidson County, starting Friday, weather permitting. The closure is needed to complete widening work on the interstate near Exit 88.
Starting at 8 p.m., crews will close the entrance ramp, as well as the right lane of I-85 South between milemarkers 87 and 89, and install a detour to guide motorists around the closures.
The well-signed route will direct drivers to travel:
North on Hargrave Road;
Turn left to continue on Hargrave Lane;
Turn left onto the I-85 Business South entrance ramp; and
Continue straight onto I-85 South.
The ramp closure and the detour will remain in effect until the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project is scheduled to be complete this summer. The right lane closure will be lifted by 6 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5.
To promote safety, NCDOT urges drivers passing through the work zone to slow down and pay attention to construction-related signs. While construction is under way, motorists can monitor traffic flow on the project website at www.i-85yadkinriver2.com/camera.html.
NCDOT broke ground in September 2010 on the southern segment of the project, which involves replacing eight bridges, widening 3.3 miles of I-85 from north of Long Ferry Road (Exit 81) in Rowan County to just north of the N.C. 150 interchange in Davidson County 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 scheduled to be complete by May 2013.
For more information on both segments 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.