Construction to begin on I-26

Construction on Interstate 26 will begin Monday, closing one lane of traffic in each direction weeknights from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m.

Road crews will begin replacing concrete slabs on the 13-mile stretch of interstate between the Long Shoals Road exit and the Four Seasons Boulevard exit.

Monday night, workers will begin at the Fletcher exit marking the concrete slabs that will be replaced, said Jamie Wilson, division construction engineer with N.C. Department of Transportation.

The project is expected to last until October 2009. It is expected to cost about $19 million.

"It seems like a long time but you can only take out two to three slabs at a time," Wilson said.

The DOT will not be posting detour signs to minimize interstate traffic on local roads.

A second project to repave I-26 between mile markers 50 and 53 is expected to begin later this year, Wilson said.

- T-N Staff