Crews for Barnhill Contracting of Rocky Mount will begin over the next few weeks staging equipment and preparing to add concrete curb and gutters and a middle turn lane to the two-lane highway between South Street and Virginia Avenue in Roanoke Rapids.

The additional lane will allow motorists to more easily turn left without backing up traffic. With the project, the contractor will also install new drain pipes along the highway.

“We are improving traffic flow and the storm drainage system, and really, the overall look to the area,” said Kristin Barnes, a district engineer overseeing the project for the state Department of Transportation.

The contractor intends to maintain both lanes of travel on the highway for much of the construction where possible, but a lack of pavement width may require occasional traffic delays with intermittent lane closures operated by workers with flags.

Motorists should drive slowly through the work zone and watch for signs with construction information.

NCDOT awarded a $2.6 million contract to Barnhill last fall. The work is expected to wrap up by this fall.

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