STATESVILLE – A bridge crossing Third
Creek on U.S. 21/Shelton Road south of Statesville will soon be improved, thanks
to a $3.7 million contract awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation to
Eastern Structures LLC of Mocksville.
Built in 1921, the bridge was widened in 1939 and is considered
structurally deficient, which means the bridge has speed or weight limits to
ensure safety.
The contract calls for the bridge to be replaced in stages. Traffic
will remain on the existing structure while about 30 feet of the new bridge is
built downstream. When that portion is complete, traffic will be shifted to the
new bridge while the old one is removed and the remaining portion of the new
bridge is completed.
The new bridge will be almost twice as wide, increasing from 32
feet to 59 feet to accommodate bicycle lanes and future sidewalks.
Work can get underway as soon as July 30. The new bridge should
open to traffic by May 2020, with landscaping and vegetation establishment
continuing through October 2020.
Media Contact: Jen Thompson
jenthompson@ncdot.gov
(980) 523-0000