Construction Kicks Off on $45 Million I-85/I-485 Interchange Project in Charlotte

Work began Monday on a massive upgrade to the I-85/I-485 interchange near Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The $45 million project targets what state highway officials said, per The Charlotte Observer, was "a choke point for commercial traffic, possibly one of the most overcrowded" in the Carolinas.

South Carolina-based Reeves Construction Co. will tackle the job. Their main tasks: widening the I-485 off-ramp bridge to I-85 South, building a fresh road stretch along I-85 South for off-ramp traffic, and installing a new Sam Wilson Road bridge.

The changes aim to cut down bottlenecks and boost safety. The work includes shifting the current Sam Wilson ramp that feeds into I-85.

Night work starts this evening. From 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Tuesday, crews will shut down lanes between I-485 and Moores Chapel Road. These night shifts will run all week, with weekend work lasting from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Initial work focuses on basic setup: placing work zone markers, pulling out snow plow guides, and painting temporary lane lines. Workers might block up to three lanes at once during this phase.

The next big step shifts traffic toward the middle of the road. This change opens up space at the edges, which workers need to add new lanes and build connections to the planned Sam Wilson Road ramp.

A temporary wall will go up between Sam Wilson and Moores Chapel roads, blocking off the shoulder area for construction needs.

Night lane shutdowns will likely stretch into November. State officials plan to send updates about future road closures as work moves forward.