Commuters in Gaston County might need to brace themselves for a few weeks of delays as lane closures are set to hit Interstate 85. According to an announcement from the N.C. Department of Transportation, these closures are part of a preparatory phase for a significant widening project on the interstate, aiming to ease traffic woes in the long run. This geotechnical investigation, which is to kick off the series of infrastructure developments, will delve into the ground beneath the existing road to inform future construction.
Set to start this Sunday night, the right lane of I-85 North near the South Fork Catawba River bridge will be unreachable for vehicles from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., a pattern that will repeat through to Thursday morning, pending the contractor’s ability to fully complete their scheduled tasks. This necessary inconvenience is to enable engineers to gather crucial data needed to design and build a wider, more capable bridge as part of the larger I-85 widening effort.
The widening project isn't a small change either—it's a substantial $337 million contract that was awarded to Lane Construction Corp. last summer. This first segment of construction includes adding a new lane in both directions between N.C. 7 (Exit 23) and N.C. 273 (Exit 27), along with rebuilding or replacing the bridge in question and several others. This aims not just to increase capacity but to provide a much-needed refresh to aging infrastructure.
The project's enhancement doesn't end with wider lanes and sturdier bridges. It also promises to revamp interchanges to significantly increase traffic mobility and enhance the flow of operational movements. Though construction is not to actually begin until the summer of 2026, the gears are plainly already in motion, with designs being drafted and groundwork being laid for a smoother, more efficient future on I-85.
