As the Interstate 40 widening project continues in Orange County, construction work to prepare for changes to an exchange in Chapel Hill is continuing as well.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced Monday it will begin conducting nightly closures of the west-bound off-ramp from I-40 to North Carolina Highway 86, which is Exit 266 in Chapel Hill. Starting on Monday, Mar. 9 at 10 p.m., crews will close the ramp for concrete removal and reopen it each day at 5 a.m. through Saturday, Mar. 14.

A spokesperson for the NCDOT said the concrete removal is focused on the existing concrete shoulder of the off-ramp so it can be repaved. A signed detour will direct traffic around the closure, with drivers instructed to travel to Exit 263 and instructed to turn right onto New Hope Church Road to access Highway 86. The expected impact to traffic is categorized as “medium,” according to NCDOT.

As construction crews continue widening the 11.4-mile stretch of interstate from four lanes to six lanes, the project also tackles redesigning several exchanges with the interstate — including Exit 266. While this concrete removal will add pavement, the final off-ramp design will have west-bound traffic go under the Highway 86 bridge before curling right to arrive at a stop light for entering the highway. According to NCDOT, the current project timeline anticipates the new ramps opening sometime in the summer of 2026.

The current designs for Interstate 40’s exchange with Highway 86 in Chapel Hill, which features the west-bound off-ramp from Exit 266 being removed and rerouted to under the highway’s bridge. The new ramp designs are in yellow, while the current designs are shaded in grey, which means they are designated for removal. (Photo via the North Carolina Department of Transportation.)

Details on the overnight closures and any real-time traffic impacts from the construction work can be found on the Department of Transportation’s Drive NC website.

Featured image via Google Maps

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