NEW BERN – Starting this weekend, drivers will encounter temporary lane closures on U.S. 70 in the James City community as construction moves into a new phase.
Until now, the work to upgrade the highway has not involved any lane reductions on U.S. 70. That will change beginning 7 p.m. Friday, when a state Transportation Department contractor plans to close the right lane in each direction of U.S. 70 between Airport Road and Taberna Way in order to install temporary pavement.
These lane closures are scheduled to end by 6 a.m. Monday. This work is weather-dependent. Drivers should slow down and be alert going through the work zone, and expect delays when there are lane closures on U.S. 70.
The NCDOT is improving a 5.1-mile section between the Neuse River Bridge to just east of Thurman Road in Craven County. The $203 million design-build contract was awarded in 2019, and the project remains on schedule to be completed by late 2024.
Periodic lane closures on the highway will continue beyond this weekend. The contractor will be allowed to reduce lanes on U.S. 70 either on the weekends or at night during the week when there is less traffic. Crews will install storm drains under these lane reductions.
To minimize traffic impacts, the contractor will not be permitted to close lanes on U.S. 70 during the daytime hours of Monday through Friday.
In addition to the work on U.S. 70, the service roads in the project area also will be subject to occasional road closures or lane reductions for the relocation of water and sewer lines and new service road construction.
When beach-going travel picks up again in May, the contractor will no longer be allowed to close lanes on U.S. 70 on the weekends.
People may learn more about this project, including viewing the design maps and videos and sign up to receive newsletter alerts about it, by going to the NCDOT project page.