The North Carolina DOT (NCDOT) and the state's Turnpike Authority, along with community members, gathered this week to break ground on the Complete 540 project in the greater Raleigh area.
Work on the 28-mile highway construction project will be completed in phases. The first phase will stretch from N.C. 55 Bypass to I-40, and the second will connect I-40 to U.S. 64/264 Bypass (I-87). This project, when complete, will connect the outer loop around the greater Raleigh area and provide a six-lane expressway that improves mobility and reduces congestion.
“Seeing construction of this critical project begin has been a top priority of so many across the Triangle,” North Carolina Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon said in a statement. “This project symbolizes what is achievable when everyone works collaboratively.”
Complete 540 will span through seven cities, extending the Triangle Expressway from N.C. 55 Bypass in Apex to U.S. 64/U.S. 264 (I-87) in Knightdale. The second phase of construction is expected to start in 2029. The estimated cost of the total project is $2.2 billion, which is being financed through toll revenue bonds and a low-interest loan from the U.S. DOT.
“The Triangle Expressway is one of the most technologically advanced roadways in our region," J.J. Eden, Executive Director of the state's Turnpike Authority, said in a statement. "When complete, this roadway will be capable of supporting transportation advancements of the future.”
Construction is planned to begin in the median of I-40 next week. The first phase could open to traffic as early as 2023.
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SOURCE: North Carolina DOT
