Work
to begin this summer
SOUTH
MILLS – Two Camden County bridges on U.S. Highway 17 over the
Dismal Swamp Canal will get life-extending rehabilitation beginning this
summer.
The N.C.
Department of Transportation awarded a $5.3 million contract to Coastal Gunite
Construction of Cambridge, MD to cover the bridge decks with a new surface,
paint bridge bearings and structural steel, and make repairs to the concrete
columns.
Work may begin as
soon as July 30 and the contract calls for the work to be completed in June of
2019. During construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each
direction, while U.S. 17 Business/N.C. Highway 343 underneath the bridges will
be closed in both directions with detours in place to direct motorists.
The bridges were
built in 1982 and are in good condition based on Federal Highway Administration
guidelines.
“We have made a
big effort over the last few years to put funds toward these high-value bridges
in northeastern North Carolina,” said Division 1 Engineer Jerry Jennings. “It’s
an investment in keeping the bridges safe and extending their lives.”
Other ongoing
bridge rehabilitation projects in the area include the Alligator River Bridge
in Tyrrell County, the Wright Memorial Bridge in Dare/Currituck counties, and
the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge on U.S. 158 in Coinjock.
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.