VALDESE – A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation may close a bridge over Interstate 40 as soon as May 6 to safely rehabilitate the span on Malcolm Boulevard/Rutherford College Road.
Drivers will be directed to utilize U.S. 70 as the primary detour with access to it from Old N.C. 10 east of the project and Eldred Street Southeast from west of the work zone. All offramps at Exit 113 will remain open, but crossing the bridge will be prohibited.
Crews from R.E. Burns and Sons will utilize the 180-day closure to restore bridge components including piers and beams before installing a new surface, all in order to improve the longevity and overall safety of the bridge.
The $2.3 million contract calls for completion in August of 2025. The operation also includes occasional lane closures on I-40 to shift lanes prior to significant construction phases, which will provide crews additional operational safety space.
NCDOT inspects and maintains more than 18,000 structures across the state including more than 300 in Burke County alone.