Crews with the state Department of Transportation are about to start another major construction project in the Triangle. The agency is widening I-440 from Wade Avenue in Raleigh to Walnut Street in Cary, with redesigned interchanges along the way.
The DOT is holding a final public meeting on the project Thursday evening at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh. The $475 million project will likely take four years to complete, according to DOT Spokesman Marty Homan.
“This is the last stretch of 440 that still only has four lanes, so there's a bottleneck on each side,” Homan said. “This project will improve that traffic flow and replace the bridges and interchanges in that four-mile stretch.”
Homan says the new pattern will eliminate the need for drivers to merge quickly.
“The new interchanges will have longer exit and entrance ramps, so you have a longer time to slow down and a little more time to speed up to get into the flow of traffic,” Homan said.
The department expects crews to start clearing the area next week. Construction will start in September.