I-95 to Bragg Blvd. section of Outer Loop open to traffic

A stretch of highway giving direct access from Interstate 95 to Fort Bragg is open.

Local, state and national officials gathered Thursday morning to celebrate the opening of Fayetteville’s Outer Loop from Ramsey Street to Murchison Road. A stretch from Murchison to Bragg Boulevard opened in August 2014.

The new section of highway opened for traffic at 1:15 p.m.

Gov. Pat McCrory spoke briefly at the ceremony.

“The pavement’s hot,” he said. “I want cars on this road as quickly as possible.”

McCrory said the highway will help national security because it gives troops at Fort Bragg better access to I-95.

Col. Brett Funck, Fort Bragg’s garrison commander, said the road will help soldiers get equipment to ships at ports or other places.

Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson said the highway will improve commuting for residents.

Several speakers mentioned that the road has been discussed for years.

Terry Hutchens, who serves on the state Board of Transportation, said he remembers talking about the project when he was on the board during former Gov. Jim Martin’s administration. Martin was governor from 1985 to 1993.

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson said he talked about the road with late Fayetteville Mayor J.L. Dawkins about 15 years ago.

Funck said the highway has been under consideration since 1977.

The Outer Loop, which becomes I-295 when complete, now stretches from I-95 to Bragg Boulevard.

“This stretch of I-295 plays a critical role not only in regional mobility, economic development and freight movement, but also in strengthening the military connections that are needed to support deployment and national security efforts,” McCrory said. “The Fayetteville Outer Loop, and in particular this section, will offer unprecedented connectivity and opportunity for eastern North Carolina.”

The section of the highway from Bragg Boulevard to the All American Freeway is scheduled to be opened later this year. Construction also has begun on the section from the All American to Cliffdale Road, which should open in October 2018.

The Outer Loop has connected I-95 to Ramsey Street, where all traffic had to exit, since 2005.

“Tremendous teamwork has gone into making this $146 million portion of I-295 a reality, including strong partnerships with federal lawmakers, local officials and Fort Bragg,” state Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson said. “We all recognize the need to continue investing in infrastructure that strengthens our ability to seamlessly move people and freight. This is one of the many sections of the Fayetteville Outer Loop we are completing to meet growing transportation, military and logistics demands.”

An $85.2 million design-build contract for the section south of Cliffdale Road to south of U.S. 401 was recently awarded by the state transportation department. Construction is expected to start in July of next year and be completed in May 2021.

The rest of the 39-mile loop is being funded through the state’s new transportation funding formula. More than $400million is being invested to complete the entire loop by 2025, the governor’s office said in a news release.

Money in last year’s state budget allowed construction on the southernmost section, from Camden Road to I-95, to be accelerated from 2021 to 2020.