A joint venture between Granite Construction and Archer Western Contractors has won a $446m contract for a section of the Triangle Expressway in North Carolina.

The contract involves work on the Western Wake Freeway section of the expressway, which is being undertaken by the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA).

Granite holds a 40% share in the contract and Walsh Group subsidiary Archer Western holds the remainder.

Work is expected to start in autumn 2009.

The freeway is expected to enter service by the end of 2012 and full construction work is expected to be finished by 2013.