The joint venture of Granite Construction Co. and MCM Construction Inc. has been awarded a $42 million highway contract by the California Department of Transportation for the construction of the San Juan Road Interchange in Monterey County, according to Granite Construction Inc.

Granite booked its 66-percent share, or nearly $28 million, into backlog during the third quarter of 2012. The project includes the construction of a new interchange and frontage roads to improve public safety when entering and exiting Highway 101 north of Salinas. Granite’s Salinas hot-mix asphalt plant will provide the approximately 92,000 tons of asphalt pavement needed for the project.

Work is estimated to begin this month and be completed by the end of 2014.