Construction is set to begin in early October for Section B of the Interstate 95 widening, a project that was recently awarded to Webber LLC of The Woodlands, Texas. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) awarded the contract, which will widen the interstate from its present four lanes to eight lanes between mile markers 29 and 37.

“The NCDOT has a long-term goal to widen all 183 miles of I-95 in our state, and we are focusing on the sections of interstate that most need to be widened now due to heavy congestion and crash data,” said Andrew Barksdale, a Spokesman with NCDOT. “Much of I-95 is the original design when construction on it began in the 1950s, so nearly everything about the interstate needs to be brought up to modern standards.”

Along with the widening, Webber will also reconstruct exits 31 and 33 to modern standards, upgrade drains, improve on- and off-ramps, and replace the following overpasses with bridges that are higher, longer, and wider: Great Marsh Church Road, East McRainey Road, and East Parkton Tobermory Road.

The Interstate 95 widening project will last four years, with Webber generally following this construction timeline:

• Year One: Perform temporary widening along shoulders of I-95 and shift traffic over to allow extra space for new construction. Begin construction of overpasses and interchanges.
• Year Two: Construct new lanes of I-95 away from temporary traffic pattern and finish overpass bridges.
• Year Three: Shift traffic onto newly constructed lanes and construct new lanes where the temporary asphalt was first placed.
• Year Four: Place the final lift of asphalt on all newly constructed lanes, utilizing lane closures and traffic shifts.

When the I-95 widening project is complete in the fall of 2026, the major economic corridor will reduce congestion, improve safety, enhance regional mobility, plan for anticipated growth in traffic volumes, and make the infrastructure more resilient against future flooding.

“I-95 is a vital corridor in our state. It’s the Main Street of the East Coast, so to speak,” Barksdale said. “I-95 is also a hurricane evacuation route, so improving, modernizing, and widening it will have a major positive impact on our economy, for our residents, and others traveling up and down the East Coast.”

This is Webber’s second contract in North Carolina, in addition to the activities of other divisions of the company. The subsidiary is currently working on 52 civil engineering projects in Texas, Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina.