Highway 70 construction in James City and Havelock to bring visible changes for drivers

Drivers will soon notice changes as major construction projects continue along Highway 70 in James City and Havelock. It’s all part of the future Interstate 42 project that will eventually connect Raleigh to the coast.

Here in James City, crews with the North Carolina Department of Transportation have been working hard to expand Highway 70. While much of the initial work wasn’t visible above ground, they’re now entering phases where drivers can see changes happening.

The NCDOT has been managing three projects across the James City and Havelock areas, and as we head into the new year, these projects are moving into new phases. In Havelock, drivers should expect to see traffic shifts in the coming weeks as crews begin work on interchanges at key tie-in points.

In James City, traffic will soon be shifted to temporary off-ramps to allow for median work, including the construction of new structures and interchanges.

We got to speak with a business in James City excited for the changes.

“I’m excited for it to be done; it’ll be a good thing, but I’m excited for it to be done ‘cause it is hard trying to get in here. A lot of people have came and said it was hard for them to find it because of the construction.” says Rachael Frazier, a sales clerk at Restoring Grace Boutique

Jordan Scott with the NCDOT says they are trying to minimize impact on commuters, with lane closures happening during the weekend. But with summer ahead, NCDOT is also factoring in seasonal traffic, as this highway is a major route for tourists traveling to the coast.

In the summer months where the travel and tourist season picks up, you know it’ll be all night work at that point and no weekend lane closures.

In addition to traffic delays, weather also plays a role in construction timelines, with Scott mentioning that inclement weather could cause schedule changes.

We were actually planning on doing some asphalt work Saturday, and we’re looking to have to adjust our schedule due to the winter weather.

Scott says that you can check lane closures and traffic impacts on their website.

ANCHOR INTRO

DRIVERS WILL SOON NOTICE CHANGES AS MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS CONTINUE ALONG HIGHWAY 70 IN JAMES CITY AND HAVELOCK. IT’S ALL PART OF THE FUTURE INTERSTATE 42 PROJECT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CONNECT RALEIGH TO THE COAST.

NEWS 12’S MARY GRACE ARMISTEAD IS LIVE TONIGHT WITH WHAT DRIVERS CAN EXPECT.

LOOK LIVE

HERE IN JAMES CITY, CREWS WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO EXPAND HIGHWAY 70.

WHILE MUCH OF THE INITIAL WORK WASN’T VISIBLE ABOVE GROUND, THEY’RE NOW ENTERING PHASES WHERE DRIVERS CAN SEE CHANGES HAPPENING.

VO

THE NC DOT HAS BEEN MANAGING THREE PROJECTS ACROSS THE JAMES CITY AND HAVELOCK AREAS, AND AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEW YEAR, THESE PROJECTS ARE MOVING INTO NEW PHASES.

IN HAVELOCK, DRIVERS SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE TRAFFIC SHIFTS IN THE COMING WEEKS AS CREWS BEGIN WORK ON INTERCHANGES AT KEY TIE-IN POINTS.

IN JAMES CITY, TRAFFIC WILL SOON BE SHIFTED TO TEMPORARY OFF-RAMPS TO ALLOW FOR MEDIAN WORK, INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW STRUCTURES AND INTERCHANGES.

I SPOKE WITH A BUSINESS IN JAMES CITY EXCITED FOR THE CHANGES

SOT RACHEL FRAZIER, RESTORING GRACE BOUTIQUE

"I'm excited for it to be done; it'll be a good thing, but I'm excited for it to be done ‘cause it is hard trying to get in here. A lot of people have came and said it was hard for them to find it because of the construction."

VO

JORDAN SCOTT WITH THE N-C-D-O-T SAYS THEY ARE TRYING TO MINIMIZE IMPACT ON COMMUTERS, WITH LANE CLOSURES HAPPENING DURING THE WEEKEND. BUT WITH SUMMER AHEAD, NCDOT IS ALSO FACTORING IN SEASONAL TRAFFIC, AS THIS HIGHWAY IS A MAJOR ROUTE FOR TOURISTS TRAVELING TO THE COAST.

SOT JORDAN SCOTT, DIVISION 2 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER:

"In the summer months where the travel and tourist season picks up, you know it'll be all night work at that point and no weekend lane closures."

IN ADDITION TO TRAFFIC DELAYS, WEATHER ALSO PLAYS A ROLE IN CONSTRUCTION TIMELINES, WITH SCOTT MENTIONING THAT INCLEMENT WEATHER COULD CAUSE SCHEDULE CHANGES.

SOT JORDAN SCOTT, DIVISION 2 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER:

***USE THIS SOT***

"We were actually planning on doing some asphalt work Saturday, and we're looking to have to adjust our schedule due to the winter weather."

VO

SCOTT SAYS THAT YOU CAN CHECK LANE CLOSURES AND TRAFFIC OMPACTS ON THEIR WEBSITE

IN JAMES CITY MARY GRACE ARMISTEAD NEWS 12.