RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in
NCDOT Now, the department's weekly newscast.
First Major Replacement Bridge Opens in WNC
State transportation officials, local leaders and Baxter Healthcare representatives gathered last Friday to celebrate the completion of the new bridge on Pitts Station Road.
The bridge provides local residents and the nation's largest producer of IV fluids improved access to U.S. 221 north of Marion.
A temporary bridge was installed to serve Baxter Healthcare and the community several weeks after Helene.
It's the first major bridge replacement completed in the region since the storm.
Trooper Wallin Bridge
Last week, a bridge on U.S. 221 was dedicated in memory of Trooper John W. Wallin, who died in the line of duty during a high-speed pursuit in 1966.
Law enforcement and community members joined Wallin's family at Linville United Methodist Church in Linville to honor the patrolman's sacrifice.
The bridge now stands as a lasting tribute to his service
NCDMV Updates
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles has started certifying private driver education schools to administer road tests for teens seeking their Level 2 Limited Provisional License, allowing those with a Level 1 Limited Learner Permit to complete their driving skills test outside of a NCDMV office.
This initiative aims to reduce wait times at driver license offices and provide greater flexibility for teens and their parents. Teens can still opt for a traditional road test at an NCDMV office, but those who test at certified schools will only need a brief NCDMV visit to finalize their license, streamlining the process.
NCDMV also now allows eligible drivers with non-REAL ID driver licenses to renew online for a second consecutive time, following Senate Bill 245 being signed into law by Governor Josh Stein.
This change, effective immediately, applies only to non-REAL ID driver licenses and not State ID cards.
Additionally, the law permits REAL ID driver licenses to be renewed online a second time if a new photo was taken in-person since the last renewal. This option is expected to be available in the coming weeks.
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on
NCDOT.gov.