Fayetteville Outer Loop Set to Fully Open After 26 Years in the Works
Key Takeaways
- The final five-mile segment between Camden Road and Raeford Road finished months ahead of schedule.
- The 39-mile connector links I-95 in Cumberland and Robeson counties, improving regional connectivity.
- The new route will reduce congestion, improve access to Fort Bragg, and provide an additional Cape Fear River crossing.
The final section of the long-planned Fayetteville Outer Loop will officially open to traffic on Nov. 25, marking the completion of a project first launched in 1999, according to WZFX.
The 39-mile corridor links Interstate 95 in northern Cumberland County and I-95 in Robeson County, just south of the border with Cumberland County — a vast improvement to improving mobility in the region, according to The Fayetteville Observer.
The last five-mile stretch of road between Camden Road near Hope Mills and Raeford Road in Fayetteville closes the final gap of the more than $1 billion project, The Fayetteville Observer reported. The segment’s contract totaled $151.8 million, according to WZFX.
Construction on the final phase had been scheduled to finish next summer but was completed ahead of schedule, according to WZFX. Traffic will begin on the roadway immediately after the Nov. 25 ribbon cutting. Nearly 30 miles of the Outer Loop have been open since August.
According to The Fayetteville Observer, the Outer Loop will improve access to Fort Bragg, reduce congestion on local streets, and provide better connections to north, south and west routes across the region. The new roadway will also offer another crossing over the Cape Fear River.
Sources: WZFX, The Fayetteville Observer