05/12/13 — Local bridge will close for repairs Monday

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Local bridge will close for repairs Monday

By From Staff And Wire Reports
Published in News on May 12, 2013 1:50 AM

A bridge west of Goldsboro is about to be replaced with a new bridge that will serve the Wayne County community for many years.

Starting Monday, the N.C. Department of Transportation will close the bridge on Oakland Church Road over Beaverdam Creek until September. The bridge, which was built in 1950, is classified as structurally deficient. This means that while the bridge remains safe, it requires repairs and was built to design standards no longer used for bridges.

Because of the bridge's condition, NCDOT had posted a weight limit on the bridge, restricting single-axle vehicles weighing more than eight tons and trucks weighing more than 14 tons from using the bridge. The new bridge will meet current design standards for width, shoulders and railings and will not have a posted weight limit.

A $614,000 contract was awarded to S.T. Wooten Corp. of Wilson for this project, which is expected to be completed this fall.

Oakland Church Road will be closed to traffic at the bridge site with a detour in place. Through traffic will use Rosewood Road, Old Smithfield Road and Princeton Road to travel around the work site.

Drivers are advised to use caution while traveling in the area and to expect delays.

The NCDOT reminds motorists to watch signs for construction information, to stay alert and to obey the posted speed limit.