ALBEMARLE – The N.C. Department of Transportation closed a bridge earlier today on Old Mill Road over Big Bear Creek as a safety precaution.
After NCDOT engineers inspected the single-lane bridge this morning, they determined sections of the decking, which is what people ride over, and the railing need to be repaired before reopening it to traffic.
The bridge is classified as functionally obsolete, which means, although safe, it was built to design standards no longer used, such as narrower travel lanes.
A detour will not be posted since the bridge carries an average of 150 vehicles per day.
Repairs are anticipated to wrap up by the end of the month.