Johnson County closures begin for US 70 interchange project

The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently closed a portion of U.S. Highway 70 Business/Peedin Road Extension that intersects with U.S. 70 to begin a construction project.

The closure enables construction crews from Flatiron Constructors Inc., based in Broomfield County, to transform this intersection into a new interchange. The crews will build a bridge that will transport U.S. 70 Business/Peedin Road Extension traffic above U.S. 70 with a series of ramps that will offer traffic access in multiple directions on these two roads.

Experts estimate that over 29,000 vehicles travel on U.S. 70 on a daily basis. This figure is estimated to rise to 45,000 by the year 2035. As of today, traffic using U.S. 70 Business and Peedin Road Extension to cross U.S. 70 tends to stop entirely for traffic to clear. Then drivers can proceed to crossing U.S. 70.

While this portion of the road is closed, drivers can use Firetower Road as a detour to cross U.S. 70. An additional detour is Gor-An Farm Road. U.S. 70 will stay open during the project, but there will be intermittent lane closures while construction crews install steel beams for the new bridge.

By making this area an interchange, drivers on U.S. 70 Business/Peedin Road Extension will be divided from the traffic flow on U.S. 70. This will decrease the chance of crossover accidents.