RALEIGH – N.C. Department of Transportation crews will continue a series of closures on Interstate 440 in southwest Raleigh Monday night as part of the Interstate 440 Improvements Project.
The closures and traffic detours will affect people driving on I-440 between Jones Franklin Road and Western Boulevard. Closures could extend for the next five weeks, depending on the weather.
Each night, crews will start at 9 p.m. by closing one lane of travel and then will move to a closure of all lanes in one direction of the beltline between midnight and 5 a.m.
Starting at 9 p.m. Monday, one lane of I-440 westbound between Jones Franklin Road and Western Boulevard will be closed as crews stage equipment to install concrete girders for the new Athens Drive bridge being built over I-440.
From midnight until 5 a.m. Tuesday, all lanes of the same section of I-440 westbound will close as the contractor works to safely install the girder.
Westbound drivers will be detoured onto Western Boulevard and then onto Jones Franklin Road before getting back on I-440.
Crews will continue work at 9 p.m. Tuesday with a one-lane closure of I-440 eastbound followed by a closure of all lanes in the same direction from midnight to 5 a.m. Wednesday. This same work is scheduled to continue Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Eastbound drivers will be detoured onto Jones Franklin Road and then onto Western Boulevard before getting back on I-440.
The same closures and detours for westbound I-440 will continue Thursday night through the end of the week and possibly Saturday, if needed.
After work is completed on the Athens Drive girder, crews will start working to demolish the old Jones Franklin Road bridge over I-440. Depending on weather, that work could begin as early as Aug. 22.
If necessary, closures to I-440 could continue through the first week of September as demolition of the old bridge continues.
All work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled as necessary.
Motorists need to pay attention near these work zones and anticipate needing extra time for the detour.