Concrete surface will be smoothed out, pot holes repaired
A 16-mile swath of Interstate 40 in Johnston County will become smoother soon.
Penhall Company of Los Angeles recently received a nearly $10.2 million contract from the N.C. Department of Transportation to improve the surface of I-40 between mile marker 313 near NC 42 and just past the I-40/I-95 interchange in Benson.
Workers will use a cost-effective process known as diamond grinding to smooth out the existing concrete surface of the lanes, and they will repair any cracks and potholes with concrete. Additionally, they will resurface the asphalt on the I-40 ramps at N.C. 210.
The work will occur outside of the morning and evening commutes on I-40, and work will not be done during busier travel times on the weekends. All of the work on the ramps and loops at the I-40 and I-95 interchange will be done at night.
The project also includes rehabilitating several I-40 overpasses: The decks on 10 bridges will be replaced with a more durable concrete material that reduces long-term maintenance costs, and four bridges will be sandblasted and get fresh coats of paint. Some of the bridges’ substructure will be repaired.
The contractor may begin work after Nov. 27, and has until July 1, 2019 to complete the project.
This is one of six road and bridge contracts recently awarded by the department. They were worth about $38.8 million, which was about $1.2 million under engineer estimates. Photo by John Payne
