RALEIGH—Motorists driving through the Fortify I-40/440 Rebuild Project in Raleigh will soon see work ramp up on the I-40 portion of the project, known as Phase II. This comes as Phase I is on schedule and almost complete. The I-440 West section from the I-40 split to the I-495/U.S. 264/64 interchange is scheduled to be in its updated traffic pattern by the end of December. The I-440 East section is expected to be open in its three-lane pattern by the end of January.
The Fortify project is a road rebuild project that is necessary for the safety of the 115,000 motorists who travel through this area each day. A chemical reaction occurring beneath the surface of the 30-year-old roadway is causing the road bed to crumble.
In January, weather permitting, Fortify crews will phase in traffic shifts on both the I-40 East and West lanes near the Gorman/Lake Wheeler exits while construction takes place outside the barrier walls. Following that, crews will continue to put up barrier walls along the I-40 project work zone until this entire stretch of roadway operates in a three-lane traffic pattern.
To reduce traffic impact the N.C. Department of Transportation is asking local employers to help get 30,000 vehicles off the road during the following peak commute times:
Monday-Friday
Morning: 6:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Afternoon: 4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
“Rebuilding this roadway is critical to keeping thousands of North Carolinians connected to jobs, education, healthcare and recreation each day,” said NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata. “I’m proud that state government agencies, as well as other community partners, are working together to provide innovative ways to keep traffic flowing and help drivers to get where they need to go while these important safety improvements are under way.”
As Wake County’s largest employer with more than 24,000 employees, state government agencies are proactively helping the road rebuild effort by offering their employees strategic ways to avoid I-40 and I-440 during peak travel times. Where possible, these agencies are encouraging staff impacted by the project to take advantage of the following options:
- Alternate work schedules
- Alternate work sites
- Teleworking
- Alternate forms of transportation
“These are not one-size-fits-all options for every agency and state employee,” said Director of the Office of State Human Resources C. Neal Alexander. “Each agency can determine what is most appropriate and effective for its employees, and tailor the options accordingly to ensure that productivity and efficiency continue during the most impactful portion of the project.”
To help state employees with the cost of alternative transportation, the North Carolina Department of Administration is offering N.C. state government workers based in Wake County a GoPass as part of a pilot program associated with Fortify. The State is one of 15 public and private employers in the Triangle that invests in the GoPass program for employees. For a list of employers and more information visit: http://www.gotriangle.org/transit/employee-discounts/.
“This is a great opportunity to encourage more people to consider public transportation as a viable option,” said Triangle Transit General Manager David King. “For just a few dollars, the GoPass gives eligible workers a ride to and from work on all of the region’s transit systems. They avoid Fortify traffic, which is a plus for them as well as the thousands of other motorists who are driving through the construction area.”
For more information and resources associated with the Fortify I-40/440 Rebuild Project, including alternative work schedule options, click on the links below:
Project Site:
Transit Information: