WAYNESVILLE – A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will close the western end of Walnut Street to allow crews to begin removing a portion of the bridge over railroad tracks on Russ Avenue.
As early as Monday, crews will close the road just beyond entrances to an auto parts store and a credit union. The closure will prohibit all turning movements between Walnut Street and Russ Avenue (U.S. 276).
All traffic will be diverted along a marked detour that instructs drivers to travel on North Main Street from a new roundabout to a signalized intersection at Russ Avenue.
The contract permits the closure for up to 300 days. During this time crews will remove one half of the bridge over the railroad and build a new section to replace it.
The $42. 8 million project contains three significant segments that will improve Russ Avenue from U.S. 23/74 to Main Street:
- From North Main Street to Boundary Street: This section includes building two lanes with a posted speed limit of 20 mph and improving sidewalk safety and accessibility.
- From Boundary Street to Walnut Street: This section includes building three lanes — two southbound and one northbound — with a posted speed limit of 20 mph, plus sidewalks and shared bike lanes in both directions.
- From Walnut Street to Phillips Road: This section includes building four lanes divided by a 17.5-foot median with a posted speed limit of 35 mph, plus sidewalks and bike lanes. It also includes replacing the bridge over Southern Railroad and the bridge over Richland Creek, plus improving the ramps to and from U.S. 23/74.