DURHAM – The N.C. Department of Transportation is planning to build a new bridge at a location where Redwood Road, northeast of Durham, has been closed since Hurricane Matthew.
A culverted section of Redwood Road connecting portions of Falls Lake collapsed and forced the closure of the road in October 2016. Rather than attempting to build a new culvert susceptible to the same damage and maintenance issues since it would be so far under the road, engineers determined a bridge built at the site was the best option. It will have a lower impact on the environment, and will provide longer term economic benefits in terms of maintenance costs
Because of the location adjacent to Falls Lake, extensive environmental studies had to be done and project approval had to come from state and federal agencies. Those steps have been completed and the department is scheduled to open bids for the new bridge on Wednesday, May 23, with the building of the new structure expected to start as soon as June 13.
The new bridge is expected to be open to traffic by September 21. Additional vegetation work can go into Spring of 2019.
Once finished, the bridge will stretch just under a quarter of a mile and is expected to service an average of 1,700 vehicles per day by 2025.
Media Contact: Sean L. Williams
919-707-2665
slwilliams13@ncdot.gov