Durham - With a goal of opening the new
Alston Avenue (N.C. 55) bridge over the Durham Freeway by Memorial Day weekend,
the contractor for the project has moved up a 30-day ramp closure scheduled to
start April 30. Instead, the ramp from eastbound Alston Avenue to northbound
Durham Freeway will shut down on Monday, April 23. It will allow crews to do
grading and storm drain work and realign the ramp.
The previously announced detour route remains the same, with
drivers directed onto the southbound freeway, where they can exit at Briggs
Avenue (exit 10), cross over the freeway and make a left turn to get to the
northbound lanes.
Another 30-day ramp closure needed to get ready to open the new
bridge went into place on Monday of this week, as scheduled. It closed the ramp
from southbound Durham Freeway to Alston Avenue (exit 11). Grading and storm
drain work is taking place.
That closure has a similar detour, sending drivers to the Briggs
Avenue exit, where they cross over the freeway, and then turn left to go north
to reach Alston Avenue.
Drivers are urged to use caution when approaching the closures, and
to anticipate needing extra time while traveling through the area because of the
short detours.
The new Alston Avenue bridge is part of the overall project that
also widens the road for more than a mile. The improvements are intended to
reduce congestion and improve safety along the road. Work is scheduled to wrap
up in 2019.