BENSON – The Zack’s Mill Road bridge over the Pole Branch north of Benson closed Monday morning for a replacement project.
The bridge, built in 1957, was deemed functionally obsolete and structurally deficient, which means it no longer met today’s traffic needs and required an increasing amount of maintenance to keep it operating. The bridge also had vehicle weight limits.
An N.C. Department of Transportation contractor will replace the bridge with a modern, wider structure. The road is expected to reopen by August 2020.
In the meantime, a signed detour is sending drivers to use N.C. 50, Langdon Road, Stephenson Road and Raleigh Road. Motorists should anticipate their commute taking longer during construction and use caution when traveling near the work zone.
