Road construction project on I-40, Berea Church Road to begin Monday – Morganton News Herald

CONNELLY SPRINGS The North Carolina Department of Transportation will begin a project to replace two bridges that date to the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidential administration by Monday.

On Thursday, NCDOT announced the start date for the project that will replace a pair of 60-year-old bridges on Interstate 40 that cross over Berea Church Road in Connelly Springs. The department says tens of millions of cars have passed over the bridges, which were constructed in 1956 (eastbound) and 1958 (westbound).

The $8.56 million contract for work on the bridges was awarded to NHM Constructors of Asheville. By Monday, NHM will close Berea Church Road to begin what is expected to be a two-year process to replace the bridges. The department previously announced that aside from planting, reforestation and permanent vegetation establishment, all work on the project will be completed by Sept. 1, 2019.

According to information from NCDOT, NHM will construct an onsite detour to allow I-40 traffic to flow in all four lanes. A local detour has been established for Berea Church Road to help accelerate construction, the department said. The Berea Church Road detour will direct westbound traffic to Burke Boulevard, then to U.S. Highway 70, then to Knobs Landing Road, then back to Berea Church Road. The opposite applies to eastbound vehicles on Berea Church Road, according to a release.

NCDOT requests that motorists follow detour signs, obey all posted speed limits and slow down in construction zones.

The project to replace the bridges is part of a 10-year plan for Burke County. Many of the projects slated for the first five years of the plan already are funded, according to information from NCDOT.

Other NCDOT projects that are part of its 10-year plan include:

I-40 paving Pave 23.8 miles of road from mile marker 95.2 to mile marker 119 at a cost of $23.5 million. Construction will start in 2018.

Exit 100 (Jamestown Road) Upgrade the interchange at a cost of $2.42 million, plus an additional $250,000 for preliminary engineering. Right-of-ways will be secured in 2018 and construction will start in 2020.

Exit 107 (Drexel Road) Upgrade the interchange at a cost of $16.1 million, plus another $400,000 that already has been spent on preliminary engineering. Right-of-ways will be secured in 2019 and construction will start in 2020.

U.S. Highway 64/Burkemont Road Improve the interchange at a cost of $1.41 million, plus another $250,000 that already has been spent to do preliminary engineering. Right-of-ways will be secured in 2019 and construction should start in 2021.

Exit 111 (Carolina Street, Valdese) Revise the interchange at a cost of $3.61 million, plus an additional $250,000 for preliminary engineering. Right-of-ways will be secured in 2019 and construction will start in 2021.

N.C. Highway 181 road widening Widen less than a mile from St. Marys Church Road to Clay Street at a cost of $10.9 million. Right-of-ways will be secured in 2020 and construction will start in 2022.

Exit 116 (Old N.C. Highway 10) Upgrade the interchange and remove two-way traffic at a cost of $14.8 million. Right-of-ways will be secured in 2022 and construction will start in 2024.

Exit 112 (Mineral Springs Mountain Road, Eldred Street) Construct interchange improvements at a cost of $16 million. Right-of-ways will be secured in 2022 and construction will start in 2024.

N.C. Highway 181/Bost Road widening Widen 2.8 miles to three lanes at a cost of $18.4 million. Planning and design is in progress and the right-of-ways will be secured in 2023 and construction will start in 2025.

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Road construction project on I-40, Berea Church Road to begin Monday - Morganton News Herald