ASHEVILLE — The Bowen Bridges are getting an extension on their
life expectancy.
The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $6.7 million
contract to Southern Road and Bridge of Tarpon Springs, Fla., to repair joints,
repair the concrete columns and replace the riding surface.
Work may begin on July 30 and the contract calls for the work to be
completed in August of 2019. Nearly all construction impacting traffic will be
done at night in order to limit backups and other impacts to traffic crossing
the French Broad River.
The bridges are in good condition based on Federal Highway
Administration guidelines and the inspection in 2016. All of the work on this
project is intended to extend the service life and prevent major repairs for at
least another 20 years. A traffic count in 2016 revealed an average of 103,000
vehicles per day use these two bridges.
The results will include a smoother riding surface and a longer
life for the entire deck. Approximately an inch of the existing surface will be
removed and replaced with a new overlay that will repair any potholes, prevent
water and salt from seeping into the concrete, and prevent rusting of the
structural steel parts.
This was one of 25 road and bridge contracts recently awarded by
the N.C. Department of Transportation. Per state law they went to the lowest
qualified bidder for each project. The contracts are worth nearly $630
million.