LILLINGTON – Three bridges in Harnett County will undergo preservation work this year to extend their lifespans.
The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $1.8 million contract last month to American Contracting & Services Inc. of Jeffersonville, Indiana, to do maintenance on the following bridges over the Cape Fear River:
- U.S. 401/421 Northbound in Lillington;
- U.S. 401/421 Southbound in Lillington; and
The project varies by bridge, but the U.S. 401/421 Northbound bridge will get the most work, including:
- Remove the top 2 inches of the deck and replace it with a polymer concrete overlay to seal and prolong the driving surface;
- Replace the metal expansion joints;
- Sandblast and repaint the steel girders;
- Use an epoxy resin injection to repair cracks in the substructure's pier caps and columns; and
- Add traction grooves to the riding surface.
The other two bridges require less maintenance, which will include:
- Add a thin silane material to seal the pores of the concrete; and
- Use an epoxy resin injection to repair cracks in the substructure's pier caps and columns.
The work on all three bridges will require lane closures, except the contractor will be prohibited from reducing lanes from 7-9 a.m. and from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday when there is more commuter traffic. People should slow down going through the work zone and allow for additional time to reach their destinations.
The contractor will start this spring and complete the project by this fall.