RALEIGH— One of the oldest sections of a major north-south roadway will get an upgrade. 

A stretch of Interstate 95 will undergo construction later this year according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The project was made possible by a federal grant of $147 million.

The 15-mile section of highway is one of the oldest in the state, running from exit 56 in Eastover to exit 71 outside Dunn. With federal funds from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America program, the highway will be widened to 8 lanes and 11 bridges will be replaced along the stretch to accommodate the changes. Parts of U.S. 70 and future Interstate 42 are to be renovated as well, and the grant is also funding the installation of fiber optic cables along 300 miles of both highways. The cables will foster a broader access to telecommunication.

A $404 million contract has been made with the S.T. Wooten Corporation for the construction, and the reconstruction will begin later this year. To cover the lofty funds, the state will tap into highway trust funds.

This project is monumental and necessary according to Fayetteville representative of the N.C. Board of Transportation Grady Hunt. He told the board that “modernizing the East Coast’s main highway is an important, long-term goal for our state.”

While the project will require shoulders of the highway to be narrowed, four lanes for travel will be in full use during construction for interstate traffic.

Ultimately, the N.C. Board of Transportation aims to realign service roads on I-95, add roundabouts to ease traffic flow, and construct a 26-foot median to separate travel directions.