The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded the North Carolina Department of Transportation a $22.5 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant.
The department plans to use the funds to improve 27 miles of Interstate 95 in Robeson and Cumberland counties.
The interstate will be widened between mile markers 13 and 40, several low-lying areas will be raised, flood monitoring technology will be installed, and higher bridges will be built over the Lumber River.
Sections of I-95 were closed twice in the last three years after major hurricanes.
“We know from experience with recent Hurricanes Matthew and Florence that we have to make our highways and other transportation infrastructure more resilient and less susceptible to major flooding in the future,” Greg Burns, the division engineer who oversees NCDOT work in five counties, said.
In addition to the BUILD grant, NCDOT received a $147 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant in June 2018.
NCDOT will use a portion of the funding to widen two sections of I-95 north of Fayetteville to eight lanes and improve six interchanges. Another portion will be used to upgrade sections of U.S. 70 to the future Interstate 42 in eastern North Carolina.
Additionally, 300 miles of fiber optic cable will be installed along both highways.