MANNS HARBOR – The N.C. Department of Transportation has implemented 24-hour lane closures on the William B. Umstead (known locally as the Old Manns Harbor) Bridge today, as a $33 million bridge preservation project gets underway.
The project, awarded to Coastal Gunite Construction, of Cambridge, Md., involves the repair of deteriorated concrete on the footings, piles and caps of the substructure, as well as expansion joint replacements, crack sealing and deck surface treatment on the 68-year-old bridge.
Motorists should expect some brief delays during lane closures, which will be controlled by portable traffic signals. In early 2024, the preservation work will require a complete closure of the bridge for several months. Drivers traveling between Manns Harbor and Roanoke Island can use the Virginia Dare Bridge as an alternate route.
The work is not expected to impact the purple martins that nest in the bridge during late July and August, as bridge work will not occur between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. during the nesting season.