Special to IFN

A project to improve 12 miles of Interstate 77 in Iredell County is scheduled to begin Sunday night, weather permitting.

A $21.4 million contract was earned this summer by Tennessee contractor Maymead Inc. to resurface the highway from Exit 36 in Mooresville to the south of Exit 49 in Statesville.

To complete the work safely, lane closures will be permitted from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday – Thursday nights over the next several months between mile markers 37 and 45. The roadway will be patched where needed, then two inches of asphalt surface course will be added throughout most of the area.

A friction course overlay will also be placed to help reduce stormwater runoff and spraying during rain events that could reduce visibility and cause hydroplaning. Approximately 130,000 linear feet of rumble strips and 335,000 linear feet of pavement markings will be installed, as well. These improvements will be implemented in 2025.

​The contract also includes resurfacing ramps and installing new guardrail within the project limits.