JONESVILLE – A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will start a temporary closure of Interstate 77 exit and on ramps at U.S. 21 Business in Yadkin County on Monday as part of a major rehabilitation project.
Starting May 4, the I-77 northbound ramps at Exit 79 will close until May 15 so crews from Archer Western can remove old concrete and the supporting base, then rebuild ramps designed to last another 30 years.
Northbound drivers will be detoured to Exit 82 at N.C. 67 which will allow drivers to cross under the interstate and take I-77 South back to U.S. 21 Business.
Starting May 27, the I-77 southbound ramps at Exit 79 will be closed until June 9 for the same construction. Drivers will be detoured to U.S. 421 at Exit 73A to cross under the interstate to join I-77 North and return to U.S. 21 Business.
Local traffic along U.S. 21 and U.S. 21 Business will be detoured back into Jonesville by U.S. 21 Business to Valley Road to N.C. 67 back to I-77. Crews recently completed a similar operation for ramps at Exit 82.
This construction is part of a $49.5 million project to completely rehabilitate five miles of the interstate and the associated ramps. The project began last spring and is scheduled to conclude by Sept. 1, 2021. Crews have completed more than 50 percent of the project.