Fortify crews making steady progress; more lane shifts coming to I-40 soon

The crews have been making steady progress in the last few months, tearing up the inside lanes of the highway in both directions to repave them.

Soon, that phase of the project will be complete, allowing drivers to enjoy a new roadway.

State Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Abbott says drivers will notice a big difference.

"It's a brand new interstate. There better not be any potholes," Abbott said. "It's going to be a nice, smooth ride."

Abbott says the new lanes will also include new lane markings, something that will likely come as a relief to many drivers who have expressed concern over confusion regarding the current lane markings put in place when crews shifted traffic to the outside lanes of I-40.

Once crews begin shifting traffic, concrete barriers will be in place on both sides of the highway. The first lane shifts should begin around the Gorman Street exit in the next few weeks and continue in stages throughout the summer.

Abbott says DOT officials hope it results in slower speeds in the work zone.

"You're going to be closed in, which we hope will, psychologically, get people to slow down," he said. "We think people are still going way too fast through the project zone."

Abbott says last week's wreck involving two DOT workers on Interstate 440 in Raleigh should serve as a reminder to drivers about the need to slow down around construction crews.

Two workers were hospitalized after being hit near the Capital Boulevard exit Tuesday afternoon.