The NC State Department of Transportation has awarded a contract to Dragados USA Inc. to build the East End Connector, a freeway that will bridge the gap between the Durham Freeway (N.C. 147) and U.S. 70 in East Durham, barely one mile apart. The 8-mile stretch between I-85 and I-40 may be referred to as I-885. The construction job is estimated to cost $141 million and expected to take 4.5 years. With land, engineering and other expenses added in, the final tally for the East End Connector will run close to $200 million. Construction begun in April, 2015 and is expected to be completed by July, 2019.
