The N.C. Department of Transportation will begin replacing a bridge in the northeast portion of Wilson County beginning in early August. The existing bridge, which was built in 1940, is located on Town Creek Road near Elm City and crosses over Town Creek.
The current 76-year-old bridge is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. It is safe, but its deteriorating condition required constant repairs. It was also built to design standards that are no longer in use, and had weight limits that restricted the type of vehicles that could be on the bridge
“The Town Creek Bridge project is part of the department’s overall bridge program to improve the condition of the state’s bridges,” Division Four Board Member Gus Tulloss said.
The new bridge is expected to be open to traffic by early December. Secondary vegetation work, which may include reforestation and planting, will be completed by June of 2017.
The $796,500 contract for the project was awarded to Sanford Contractors. Inc, of Sanford. It was one of 17 road and bridge projects recently awarded by the Department that came in at about $149.2 million, which was $1.3 million less than DOT engineers’ estimates. The contracts were awarded to the lowest qualified bidders, as required by state law.
