Crews putting final touches on I-440 West in Fortify zone

Construction crews are scheduled to complete the final resurfacing of Interstate 440 West in the Fortify zone late next week, state Department of Transportation officials said Friday.

The top layer of smooth asphalt will serve as a finishing touch for 440 West.

On Interstate 440 East, crews are still finishing paving work from the Interstate 40 split to U.S. Highway 64/264. Officials said Friday that work on 440 East, along with the final layer of asphalt, could be completed by the end of May.

After the Memorial Day holiday, work will ramp up on the I-40 section of the project.

Additional lane closures and traffic shifts will begin in the next month. Officials say the closures will be done gradually so that the thousands of drivers who use the stretch of highway south of Raleigh can adjust.

Once lane closures are in place over the summer, drivers could see up to 30-minute delays through the work zone.