I-440 project at Blue Ridge Road: Completion delayed until late 2025

An estimated 200,000 drivers travel the Interstate 440 Beltline near Wade Avenue every day in Raleigh, the center of an active construction site. Many are wondering if the years-long construction in the corridor will ever finish.

WRAL News learned Friday the I-440 and Blue Ridge Road Improvements project is two years behind schedule, now expected to be complete in fall 2025.

Engineers with the North Carolina Department of Transportation said COVID-19 and supply chain issues during the pandemic are the two biggest reasons for the delays. Drivers told WRAL News they are hopeful the massive project will be worth the wait.

“It’s definitely a lot different than it used to be, that’s for sure," said Todd Hixon, who drives the route frequently. “It’s frustrating figuring out the new interchanges, especially Wade Avenue, but it’s frustrating when it seems like it could’ve been done a little quicker.”

Orange barrels still line the roadway along I-440 in Raleigh near the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. Some are new, and others have been in place since 2019, when work to widen the Beltline began.

According to the NCDOT, crews have moved 435,000 cubic yards of dirt in the area since the project began, which equates to over 40,000 dump truck loads.

A lot has changed in the five years since work began on the project. Crews built a new flyover overpass at Wade Avenue and installed a diverging diamond interchange at Western Boulevard, two pieces of the project that drivers said completely changed what it’s like to drive through the area.

Engineers with the NCDOT said there’s much more to be done, including building multiple new bridges and traffic pattern changes.

“It’s hard to just come out here and say we’re going to build one side of the road and then build the other side of the road," explained Cody Winkler, a resident engineer with the NCDOT. "You have so much traffic that comes here on a daily basis. You have to shift traffic consistently just to make sure people get around the area as you’re building the project.”

The project was originally slated to cost around $360 million, but the number could rise. The NCDOT won’t have a final cost until closer to the project's completion date, which is currently set for fall of 2025.

The completion date is two years behind schedule thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues and weather conditions.

“It gets a little frustrating at times, but with construction comes progress," Hixon said.

Drivers can find updates and more information on the NCDOT's project page.