North Carolina Construction News staff writer
A contract for the second phase of the $2.2 billion toll expressway outer loop around Raileigh has been awarded to Flatiron-Fred Smith Company Joint Venture. The $450 million contract includes the first of two sections of the second phase of construction.
Phase one, which includes the Triangle Expressway 18 miles from N.C. 55 to I-40, was awarded in December 2018 to Lane Blythe Construction Joint Venture of Charlotte and work is expected to be completed 2024.
Phase two construction will begin next year and continue for about four years. It includes building a six-lane all-electric toll road to extend the Triangle Expressway to Interstate 87/U.S. 64/U.S. 264.
The contract for the final section is scheduled to be awarded later this year.
Once completed, the new toll road will connect several towns and cities and ease congestion on I-440, I-40, N.C. 42, N.C. 55 and Ten Ten Road, among other local roads, according to NCDOT. The Complete 540 project will ultimately link Apex, Cary, Clayton, Garner, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs and Raleigh.