Highways
NCDOT Awards $337M Contract to Modernize I‑85 Corridor
One among several interchanges to be reconstructed by Lane Construction under its contract with the North Carolina Dept. of Transportation.
Image courtesy of HMS/Lane Construction
The North Carolina Dept. of Transportation on July 16 awarded a $337-million design‑build contract to a team led by Lane Construction Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of Italy’s Webuild Group, and Omaha-based HDR, to widen and modernize a 4.1‑mile stretch of Interstate 85 in the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia metro area.
The scope of work includes expanding the interstate from six to eight lanes, adding one general‑purpose lane in each direction, incorporating a 26‑ft landscaped median and realigning on‑ and off‑ramps. It also includes replacing or widening six bridges, reconstructing two interchanges and rebuilding about 4,000 linear ft of the Piedmont and Northern Railway overpass.
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According to NCDOT design‑build procurement documents and State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) records, the contract was awarded June 26 with a notice to proceed for design issued immediately thereafter. The project received its categorical exclusion on July 17, clearing the way for full design work.
STIP funding allocates $110.5 million for right-of-way acquisition and $71.1 million for utility relocation as part of two combined projects totaling $181.6 million. Construction is slated to begin in summer 2026, with sequential bridge replacements kicking off in 2027, interchange reconstructions in 2028 and final paving, median installation and striping scheduled for mid‑2029.
NCDOT said it plans to maintain at least six lanes of traffic throughout construction, using temporary lane shifts, portable concrete barriers and off‑peak bridge‑replacement weekend closures to minimize commuter disruption.
A spokesperson at Lane said its design incorporates a grade-separated rotary interchange configuration at I-85 and McAdenville Road/Main Street.
"This design improves traffic operations and level of service (LOS) compared to the preliminary concept, while maintaining a similar footprint and [right-of-way] impacts," the spokesperson said in an email. "This innovation will enhance safety for both the traveling public and construction personnel through simplified phasing and more efficient traffic movements."
The configuration eliminated the need for phased bridge construction, resulting in schedule and cost benefits, which will result in reducing long-term maintenance needs. Additionally, bike lanes were relocated onto a shared-use path with pedestrians, improving connectivity and enhancing safety "...for users of all modes of transportation," the spokesperson added.
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According to agency traffic figures, approximately 131,000 vehicles travel that segment of I‑85 daily. NCDOT projects growth to boost volumes to between 171,000 and 183,000 vehicles by 2045.
A 2023 study by GPS‑fleet management firm Teletrac Navman ranked the corridor among the nation’s 25 most dangerous interstates, placing it 15th based on fatalities per mile. NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System has identified Charlotte as the most hazardous city along North Carolina’s 666 miles of I‑85.
Bryan Gottlieb is the online editor at Engineering News-Record (ENR).
Gottlieb is a five-time Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Journalism award winner with more than a decade of experience covering business, construction and community issues, including finance, law and real estate. He has reported for Adweek and the San Diego Daily Transcript and led a community newsroom in Santa Monica, Calif. He served as editor-in-chief of the Detroit Metro Times and as managing editor at Roofing Contractor, where he helped shape national industry coverage. At Engineering News-Record, Gottlieb covers breaking news, large-scale infrastructure and megaprojects, regulatory developments and business trends across the U.S. and global construction sectors.
email: gottliebb@enr.com | office: (248) 786-1591
