Part of U.S. 70 bypass to open
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 16, 2015 1:46 PM
The western section of the new U.S. 70 Bypass is scheduled to open Saturday, clearing the way for traffic headed east toward Goldsboro on U.S. 70 to get to Interstate 795 and Wayne Memorial Drive without having to stop for traffic lights or to slow for speed zones.
The final walk-through inspection was Thursday, said Tim Little, Department of Transportation Division 4 engineer.
"There are a few little minor things that they have to do, but if all goes well today, that portion, the western end that goes basically from N.C. 581 in the Rosewood area back to the middle part, is completed," Littlesaid. "Once we open that you will be able to get to Wayne Memorial from the west side of Goldsboro. It should be open tomorrow if all goes well."
Little said he did not have a specific time as to when the road would actually open.
No ceremony is planned to mark the occasion, Little said. However, signs will be up alerting motorists that the section is open, he said.
"We debated that a little bit, but it is kind of melodramatic because the other section is not open," Little said. "It gets you to another portion of Goldsboro, but it doesn't do what the intended completed project does, which is get you 70 around Goldsboro."
The new section of highway will be designated as N.C. 44 and will not become U.S. 70 until the eastern section is completed and the entire bypass opened.
The eastern section is still scheduled for completion by June 1.
The recent heavy and prolonged rainfall had little impact in that section, Little said.
"What the good news is, is that most everything is covered up, and when I say covered I mean has pavement on it," Little said. "So all of that good weather got us out in front so all of that rain did not affect any grading operations. So it had minimal effect on it.
"We are still on tap for June 1 for that to be open."
The 22.5-mile bypass is being built in three sections.
The first 3.9-mile section, already designated as N.C. 44, opened in December 2011. It stretches from I-795 to Wayne Memorial Drive north of Goldsboro.
There are interchanges at I-795, U.S. 117 (North William Street) and Wayne Memorial Drive.
A $62.4 million contract was awarded to S.T. Wooten for construction of the western 5.9-mile section between U.S. 70 west of Goldsboro to I-795.
Interchanges will be built at U.S. 70 and N.C. 581.
A $104.4 million design-build contract was awarded to Barnhill Contracting Co. for the 12.5-mile eastern section of the bypass.
Interchanges will be constructed at U.S. 13, Parkstown Road and U.S. 70.