RALEIGH – Federal aid is on the way to help Fayetteville
replace a bridge that city officials closed for safety reasons earlier this year
in the Hollywood Heights neighborhood.
The N.C. Board of Transportation on May 31 in a meeting in Raleigh approved
adding the Louise Street bridge replacement project to the State Transportation
Improvement Program. The action will free up money from the Surface
Transportation Block Grant, a federal program used to help cities repair
infrastructure.
The grant will reimburse the city 80 percent of the project. The city, which
will oversee the project, will pay the remaining 20 percent, and the federal
money will pass through the NCDOT.
The preliminary project cost is between $1.5 million and $2 million. The city
plans to issue a request for proposals this summer to hire a consultant to
oversee the project.
The department and the city plan to soon finalize a municipal agreement
needed before the project can get underway.
“We are very grateful to NCDOT for allowing us to use this source of funding
from the Surface Transportation Block Grant,” City Manager Doug Hewett said.
“This funding, which will pay for 80 percent of the total cost of the Louise
Street Bridge replacement project, will allow us to restore a major entryway
into the Hollywood Heights neighborhood with a new, modern bridge.”
According to City Engineer Giselle Rodriguez, officials hope to have the new
bridge open by the end of 2019.
The city closed the Louise
Street bridge in January as a precaution after inspectors found the bridge’s
condition had deteriorated faster than expected.
Media Contact: Andrew Barksdale
919-707-2662
acbarksdale@ncdot.gov