FORT BARNWEL – A section of Maple Cypress Road west of Vanceboro will close for up to three weeks to replace a pair of aging crossline pipes.
The twin 84-inch metal pipes are nearing the end of their useful life and susceptible to causing pavement damage. By scheduling the work, the N.C. Department of Transportation can mobilize crews and equipment and complete the project more quickly, efficiently and safely. If the department delayed the work and the pipes failed and damaged the road, it likely would take longer to make repairs and reopen the road.
The road is scheduled to close at 9 a.m. July 11. Message boards stating the upcoming closure were set up along the road today. The department anticipates completing the work and reopening the road within three weeks, depending on the weather.
The NCDOT has coordinated the upcoming closure with local emergency management officials and other agencies because the detour to cross the Neuse River will be 29 miles long.
The detour will consist of River Road, N.C. 43, Spring Garden Road, N.C. 55 and Biddle Road.
The new aluminum pipe's design will enhance the flow of water going under the road and last longer than the steel one to be replaced. The project will make the below-ground infrastructure more resilient against future storms.
This work is being done in conjunction with NCDOT's current project to replace the existing bridges on Maple Cypress Road over the Neuse River and overflow. The $13.8 million project began last summer and is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2023. The new bridges are being built alongside the old ones, so drivers are not being detoured for that project.