Raleigh – The N.C. Department of
Transportation has awarded a $57 million contract to replace the Perquimans
River Bridge in Hertford and make safety improvements on a stretch of U.S.
Highway 17 Business between Hertford and Winfall.
The contract, awarded to a design-build team led by McLean
Contracting Company of Glen Burnie, MD, calls for a new swing-span bridge to
replace the “S Bridge” on U.S. 17 Business/Church Street. The current bridge is
nearly 90 years old and is nearing the end of its useful lifespan.
“Hertford’s S-Bridge is beautiful and iconic, but it needs to be
replaced,” said NCDOT Division One Engineer Jerry Jennings. “We feel the design
of the replacement will be a vast improvement in safety while also keeping
Hertford’s historic charm intact.”
The design and alignment of the new bridge has received support
from the towns of Hertford and Winfall, as well as from Perquimans County.
The contract also calls for improvements to the causeway from the
north end of the bridge to the intersection of U.S. 17 Business and N.C. Highway
37 in Winfall. The total distance of the project is approximately 0.7 miles.
NCDOT will work with the contractor this spring to finalize the
project’s design, procure the necessary permits and begin right-of-way
acquisition. Construction on the project is slated to begin in summer 2019.
Contact: Tim Hass
Phone: 252.423.5109
email: tdhass@ncdot.gov