RALEIGH — More than three miles of U.S. 401, northeast of Laurinburg, will see improvements as a result of a $1.4 million contract from the N.C. Department of Transportation.

DOT officials announced the award on Monday. They said the contract for the work will go to Hudson Paving Inc. of Rockingham. It also covers about nine miles of secondary roads in the county with about half of that being on Highland Road between U.S. 74 Business and U.S. 15/501.

Road improvement projects like this one are currently taking place across the state as part of the state’s 25-Year Transportation Vision. Its goal is to enhance travel safety and to better connect North Carolinians to jobs, education, healthcare and recreation opportunities, DOT officials said.

The work includes resurfacing, widening lanes and reconstructing shoulders. It is scheduled to begin as soon as Aug. 8 and should be completed by June 30, 2017.

DOT officials said motorists should remember to stay alert when approaching and traveling through the work zones and to obey the posted speed limit.

The Scotland County project is one of 16 road and bridge projects recently awarded by the North Carolina DOT, worth $96 million — about $3 million less than projected in engineer’s estimates.

Staff report