So exactly when can we expect that stretch of I-485 in northern Mecklenburg County from Oakdale Road to I-77 and beyond to Statesville Road to open? Glad you asked. The N.C. DOT has a handy-dandy site that includes information on project status. And in the case of I-485 the answer would seem to be maybe June or July… 2009.
Construction began on that $94 million, 5 ½ mile stretch of interstate back in January 2004. And as the DOT website shows, the road should be open by now. It’s not even close though — 50 months after work began, it’s only a hair over 75 percent complete. That’s 1.5 percent per month. And at that rate, figure another 16 months to the ribbon cutting.
The N.C. DOT still lists the estimated completion date as Dec. 31, 2008. For that to happen, the contractor, Skanska USA Civil Southeast Inc., would have to speed up the pace of work and start finishing 2.5 percent to 3 percent of the project per month. Will believe that when I see it…
