MIDLAND – A year-long project to replace an aging bridge on U.S. 24/N.C. 27 over the Rocky River necessitates closing a boat launch upstream of the bridge for boater safety.
To prevent any boating accidents, the N.C. Department of Transportation and Catawba Lands Conservancy have agreed to close the Pharr Family boat launch at Midland Blueway Park starting this week.
Boaters may launch from the Riverbend Farm Trail, which is the first available public location downstream of the bridge in Cabarrus County.
Dane Construction, a contractor for NCDOT, is currently removing the one bridge — first built in 1923 and rebuilt in 1957 — across the river while installing a temporary crossing for equipment and construction needs. Traffic will be in a one-lane pattern heading in both directions on the westbound bridge into next summer.
Once removal is complete, crews will install a new bent in the river and work over water on the $6 million project to replace the eastbound bridge.
Transportation officials anticipate completing enough construction to open the launch by the end of 2023 and open the new bridge to traffic by summer 2024.