GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced that the North Carolina Department of Transportation's I-85 expansion project is one of 26 nationwide recipients of this year's Infrastructure Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant awards.
North Carolina will receive $100 million in federal funding to aid in widening a portion of I-85 in Cleveland and Gaston counties from six to eight lanes and adding interchange auxiliary lanes in the corridor.
The federal grant money will also go towards replacing overpasses and railroad bridges around this approximately 10-mile stretch, as well as adding sidewalks, bike lanes and multi-use paths for safer pedestrian options.
“When we can invest in critical parts of our transportation network, it creates better and safer connections between our rural and urban areas, strengthens our supply chains, and gives our state a much-needed economic boost," state transportation secretary Eric Boyette said in a news release.
Additional components of the grant include adding fast-charging ports for electric vehicles and installing fiber-optic cable to increase broadband access for rural areas along the corridor.
"These funds will deliver critical transportation improvements, better connect our people to high-speed internet and move our state forward on clean transportation", Governor Roy Cooper said in a news release on Thursday.
NCDOT said it expected the project to start in 2024 and wrap up in 2030.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.