RALEIGH – Two firms have won contracts from the N.C. Department of Transportation to rebuild the southern portion of Interstate 40/440 around Raleigh.

The department announced Tuesday the team of Granite Construction Company and RS&H Architects-Engineers-Planners Inc. won contracts. NCDOT engineers estimated the project would cost $193,428,882. Granite/RS&H had the lowest bid of $130,129,000.

The project requires rebuilding 11.5 miles from west of Jones Franklin Road in Cary to north of U.S. 64/264 in Raleigh. The road is more than 30 years old, and is crumbling because of a chemical reaction between the rock and the cement.

Officials will work to leave three lanes open in each direction on the I-40 portion of the project, instead of two. That’s expected to greatly reduce traffic backups in and around the project area.