MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Plans to widen a pesky stretch of North Carolina 150 in the Lake Norman area have moved up sooner than expected with state officials saying a contractor could be hired for the project as soon as October.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) currently estimates the work will begin in 2025. The $269.5 million project is fully funded and will address a stretch of North Carolina 150 that's often congested for drivers in the Lake Norman area. If a contractor is hired in October, then it's very possible construction could begin sooner than expected.
The project impacts about 15 miles of 150 from the North Carolina 16 bypass in Denver to just west of the interchange with U.S. 21 in Mooresville. This area is often jammed with traffic, especially west of Interstate 77, where the road narrows to just two lanes leaving Mooresville.
Crews will widen the mostly two-lane highway into multiple lanes and there are improvements planned for the interchange with I-77 in Mooresville.
While the updated timeline is good, it's not soon enough for drivers who deal with the daily traffic jams along 150. It's also just one item on the long list of projects state officials hope to tackle soon.
Local and state leaders acknowledged the need for upgrades but the biggest hurdle is finding the money to do the work.
"I fought so hard to use discretionary dollars to speed up by eight years the I-485/I-85 interchange that's an absolute bottleneck to traffic moving," House Speaker Tim Moore said. "We have challenges on I-77, we have challenges on I-485, those are the critical things I see."
The final phase of the project includes construction on North Carolina 150 in Catawba County. It's expected to begin in 2029.
Contact Destiny Richards at drichards5@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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