Without big grant, NC road project will use bonds

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Beverly Perdue says she’s very disappointed about failing to land a large federal stimulus grant to help widen a key stretch of Interstate 85 through central North Carolina.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday the state will receive $10 million to help replace bridges over the Yadkin River and other improvements for I-85 in Davidson and Rowan counties. That’s far less than the $300 million the Perdue administration had sought.

Perdue spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson said the state Transportation Department will now use $150 million in bonds to pay for the first phase of the project to replace or retrofit five aging bridges over the river and widen three miles of road.

First-phase construction could begin this summer and be completed in 2013.

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