Construction On I-77 Will Cause Detours For Northbound Lane Thursday And Friday

*Detours are subject to weather conditions and major special events in the area.

CHARLOTTE, NC – A detour on I-77 northbound will be in place overnight on Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. to allow crews to safely work in the median of I-77 as they construct column caps for the new Lakeview Road Direct Connector bridge.

During the detour, motorists travelling northbound on I-77 will take I-85 north to the I-485 outer loop. Once on I-485, drivers will be directed approximately six miles to the I-77 Huntersville entrance ramp to continue travelling northbound on I-77. Please be advised that the entrance ramp to I-77 North from Sunset Road will be temporarily closed during the hours of the detour. The northbound ramp at W.T. Harris Boulevard will remain open to traffic.

A secondary detour on Lakeview Road will take place overnight on Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. During the detour, motorists traveling westbound or eastbound on Lakeview Road can use W.T. Harris Boulevard or Sunset Road as detour routes.

Construction of the new direct connector bridge will occur in phases. The new half of the Lakeview Road director connector bridge will be built first. Crews will then take down the existing bridge in order to build the second half of the new bridge. Once completed, the new director connector bridge will feature two lanes in each direction, a dedicated turning lane onto the I-77 Express Lanes in each direction, and bike lanes and sidewalks for improved connectivity.

Motorists are encouraged to pay attention when approaching the work zone, obey the posted speed limit and work zone signs, and allow extra time to reach their destinations safely.

Once the project is complete, dedicated express lanes will run adjacent to the existing general purpose lanes. The number of general purpose lanes will remain the same as today. Drivers will have the choice of using the express lanes to avoid travel delays, the general purpose lanes or a combination of both. Vehicles with three or more occupants (including the driver) and equipped with a transponder may use the express lanes for free. The 26-mile project is scheduled to open before the end of 2018.