RALEIGH – Work is getting underway on a project to replace the bridge that carries U.S. 15-501/N.C. 87 over the Deep River at the border of Chatham and Lee counties.
The N.C. Department of Transportation recently awarded an $8.8 million contract to Smith-Rowe LLC of Mount Airy for the project. The new bridge should be open to traffic by June 1, 2021.
The existing bridge is 70 years old. While it is still safe to travel on, it is considered structurally deficient, which means it has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced.
The new, 600-foot-long bridge will be built about 75 feet west of the existing bridge. It will include two 12-foot lanes, and shoulders 6 and 8 feet in width. The design will also accommodate the possibility of future greenways on either side of the river.
Traffic will be maintained on the existing bridge until the new bridge is complete, minimizing the impact on highway traffic. Lane closures may be utilized at various points of project, but will not be allowed at peak traffic times – Monday through Friday from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.