FAYETTEVILLE – The N.C. Department of Transportation has reduced some lanes on the Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway near Ramsey Street for bridge maintenance.
The freeway remains open in both directions at the Ramsey Street exit. However, one of two lanes going south is now closed, and the shoulder on the northbound direction is also closed.
During a routine inspection, the department's bridge maintenance unit identified minor soil erosion around a concrete support next to an embankment. The overall structure of the 49-year-old bridge remains intact. Stormwater runoff over many years likely caused the erosion.
The lane closures were installed Thursday as a precaution and to help prevent any further damage until crews can conduct a more thorough inspection and make repairs in January. It's estimated NCDOT will be able to remove the barriers and reopen all lanes by the end of January.
Motorists are asked to slow down and drive cautiously in this area of the freeway