Drivers along Interstate 40 (I-40) in Orange County, North Carolina, regularly experience rush hour traffic due to the highway’s proximity to major universities and because it connects two of North Carolina's population centers — Raleigh and Greensboro. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and general contractor Lane Construction are currently widening I-40 to relieve congestion in the highly traveled area.
The average daily traffic along the corridor is approximately 80,000. Although traffic dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has since returned and grown. The Raleigh metropolitan area has a population of over 1.5 million. Drivers along I-40 include people in and around the area.
The project is also expected to improve traffic flow and continuity. At one end of the project, there is an existing eight-lane section. The other end of the project is a six-lane section of I-40 at the Durham County line.
The focus of the I-40 Widening: Orange County project is an over 11-mile section of the road. It has two lanes in each direction, with a concrete median barrier in the center separating eastbound from westbound.
Elements of the project scope include:
| Your local Bomag Americas dealer |
|---|
| Linder Industrial Machinery |
- Adding one travel lane in each direction of I-40 on the median side
- Widening the outside shoulder from 10 feet to 12 feet
- Reconstructing the ramps of one interchange
- Improvements to the remainder of the existing ramps throughout the project
- Removing and replacing one existing bridge
- Widening two existing bridges
- Rehabilitating five additional bridges
- Installation of sound barrier and retaining walls
- Updating underground drainage
- Installation of additional street lighting and dynamic signs
The team is also installing 96,000 square feet of soundwall. NCDOT performed a noise wall analysis to determine how best to protect the surrounding neighborhoods from noise pollution.
A couple of the project’s challenges include maintaining the grade and working within a scope that does not include repaving the existing highway.
"We have to tie everything into the pavement," said Jacob Crews, a Resident Engineer at NCDOT, who is overseeing the project.
| Your local Topcon Positioning Systems Inc dealer |
|---|
| Linder Industrial Machinery |
Additionally, the project calls for replacing the drainage pipe as needed. This decision can save money, but it can also lead to challenges.
"Projects with a scope of work that require adding to an existing facility represent additional challenges, such as having to match the existing concrete pavement travel lanes as well as the existing bridges," said David Chaparro, a Project Manager at The Lane Construction Corporation.
"The same applies to the drainage system in which some of the existing drainage has been incorporated as part of the final design, along with new drainage," Chaparro added.
The team tests all the pipes for structural issues or cracks. They replace those pipes that exhibit the problems. Although the team is proceeding in a measured and calculated way, it is challenging to maintain water temperature and flow. The challenge would be minimized if the entire drainage system and pipes were replaced.
| Your local Wirtgen America dealer |
|---|
| Dobbs Equipment (SC) |
The presence of rocks under I-40 has also added a wrinkle.
"Existing conditions such as dealing with the presence of rock, or the inaccuracy of as-built data has made this project challenging as well," Chaparro said.
The NCDOT website says that "due to the presence of rock, numerous runs required a hand tunneling method to be used." It adds that the team has installed more than 80 drainage pipes under I-40, some having a diameter as large as 84 inches.
"We're keeping two lanes of traffic open during construction, so [we] have a very limited workspace," Crews said.
| Your local Trimble Construction Division dealer |
|---|
| SITECH Mid-South |
One way the team handles the limited workspace is periodically working at night, when they can have lane closures. Night work was more prevalent early in the project but has become sporadic. Crews expect it to pick up again later in the project when they are working on the shoulders.
The team focused on installing barriers during the night work at the project's beginning. They installed them to keep both the team and drivers safe.
"The exposure to high volumes of traffic, access to the construction areas, and reduced workspace have contributed to making this a challenging project," Chaparro said.
Lane maintains an active presence in the Carolinas and has worked with NCDOT on numerous transportation initiatives. The company, which has been around since 1890, bills itself as one that tackles "complex, innovative projects" and provides "resources and innovative solutions," according to the Lane Construction website.
| Your local Volvo Construction Equipment dealer |
|---|
| Richmond Machinery & Equipment |
NCDOT selected Lane based on their technical proposal and innovative design. The scoring involves an adjusted low bid, so NCDOT bases its selection decisions on technological factors as well.
"We have experience dealing with design-build projects and the expertise in scopes of work such as concrete pavement, which made us an ideal match for this project," Chaparro said.
Lane, one of the country's biggest contractors, also has the workforce, equipment, and other resources to tackle a large job like the I-40 widening.
As part of the project, the team has demolished 60,000 tons of concrete and reused it on site. The company has a portable concrete plant within the project limits, which they explicitly installed to produce concrete for this project. Upon completion of the concrete operation, Lane will dismantle the plant and move it to another work site.
| Your local Komatsu America Corp dealer |
|---|
| Linder Industrial Machinery |
"There are not many contractors that can perform concrete pavement at the scale this project requires,” Chaparro said. "Lane Construction has a variety of concrete pavers that can be adjusted to pave different lane widths and different setups that allow work in areas with limited space."
The lump sum design-build project costs $236.5 million. It is being financed by the federal government (via GARVEE bonds) and the state government.
Due to contract modification and change orders, the project is over budget. The team has to replace more drainage pipes than initially anticipated, and the rocky conditions have made doing so time consuming.
Additions or change orders include the installation of intelligent transportation systems, such as cameras.
| Your local Bomag Americas dealer |
|---|
| Linder Industrial Machinery |
Construction on the project began in fall 2022. The original completion date NCDOT targeted for the project was the end of 2025. However, the department now foresees the project completion occurring in summer 2026. The expected substantial completion date has been extended due to additions to the scope of work.
When the team completes the project, rush hour congestion will be relieved along this section of I-40, and drivers will experience more reliable drive times. The better traffic flow is expected to improve safety in the corridor. Additional lighting, dynamic signs, and cameras will also enhance safety and assist with incident management.
