HUNTERSVILLE – The N.C. Department of Transportation will shut down the intersection of N.C. 73 and N.C. 115 through the weekend as part of the $17 million widening of N.C. 73.

The intersection will close Friday at 8 p.m., Dec. 3, and remain closed until Monday morning, Dec. 6 while construction crews work to improve the railroad line that runs next to it. The Norfolk Southern Railroad line improvements are needed as crews work to widen the heavily congested N.C. 73 from two to four lanes.

The department of transportation will post signs for the following detours.

• Drivers traveling west on N.C. 73 should take Mayes Road to Bailey Road to N.C. 115 back to N.C. 73.

• Drivers heading east on N.C. 73 should use N.C. 73 to N.C. 115 to McCord Road to Black Farms Road back to N.C. 73.

Much of the expansion of N.C. 73 will progress similarly, as much of the work will happen overnight or during the weekend when traffic is much less. This will abate some of the ties ups, but drivers should expect delays during these projects.

Blythe Development Co. of Charlotte won the contract to expand the road late last year. The project has been batted around for years but was fiscally not possible until the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the Stimulus, chipped in the $17 million needed to fund the expansion. Developers, however, must complete the road by November 2012 to receive the money. Planners expect to have the road finished by December 2011.

Grading work on the 1.8 miles stretch of road that will be expanded began earlier this year. Once completed, engineers expect to have widened the road to four lanes with a center median and install a “quad left” intersection that will eliminate left turns off Sam Furr Road onto U.S. 21 in both directions.

To see all projects managed by the N.C. Department of Transportation and how they may affect traffic visit www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel or call 511, the state’s free travel information line for current travel conditions.

Want to know more?
The NC Department of Transportation has created a website to educate the public about the N.C. 73 widening project. Visit that site at www.ncdot.gov/projects/NC73Widening.