CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The state Department of Transportation has now confirmed what NewsChannel 36 first reported Thursday morning -- the next leg of I-485 will open Friday afternoon.  

The opening could come anytime between noon and 2 p.m. in order to avoid opening it during rush hour.

State Rep. Thom Tillis, R.-Cornelius, toured the new leg Thursday and met with both the contractor, Virginia Beach-based Skanska, and the DOT. 

"It's that line from Cool Hand Luke, 'What we have is a failure to communicate', and it seems like we are getting to that point," Tillis said, referring to recent finger-pointing between Skanska and the DOT.

Twice this week the DOT said the road would be opened and then backed off, saying Skanska had not yet finished the project. Skanska has said the road was ready for traffic last week and says the items pointed out to them by the DOT either had already been fixed or were new work orders beyond the scope of the original contract.

After meeting with both sides and talking out the issues, Tillis said, "I think everybody agrees it's time to open the road."

Within an hour of the meeting with Tillis, the DOT issued a press release saying the new stretch that runs from Brookshire Boulevard to Old Statesville Road would open Friday afternoon. 

There will be no speeches or ribbon cutting. After all the delays and hard feelings about the leg that was supposed to open last year, the state plans to simply move the barricades and let drivers use the long-delayed roadway.

NCDOT reminds motorists of the following:

• Stay alert. Once the highway opens, work will continue, requiring shoulder closures.

• Signal work will continue at the interchange of I-485 and Harris Boulevard. NCDOT has placed two stop signs at each exit ramp to alert motorists. Exiting the outer loop, one of two left-turn lanes will remain closed. Exiting the inner loop, no left turns will be permitted. One eastbound lane will also remain closed on Harris Boulevard. This traffic pattern will remain in place about one week until the new traffic signal is installed and operational.

• All traffic on the inner loop will exit at N.C. 115 (Old Statesville Road) where the highway ends. Signs will be posted to alert motorists.