Railroad work forces detour along U.S. 17

Traffic will be detoured from a section of U.S. 17 beginning June 6 for work on the railroad crossing in Bridgeton.

Brad McMannen, assistant resident engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, said the work to replace railroad crossties is part of the preparation to widen a section to four lanes planned for the fall.

The widening project will be done in connection with a new mixed-use development, Bridgeton Harbor. The highway will be widened  from the end of the present four-lane section to Antioch Road.

McMannen said that "the railroad track crossties are not long enough to handle the four lanes and a median" so the old ones are being taken up and replaced.

He said much of the widening project will be paid for by Jupiter USA, the developer of Bridgeton Harbor. The Department of Transportation expects to receive bids on the project in September, with work to start in October.

Work on the railroad crossing should be complete and the road reopened on Friday June 13, he said. The railroad work will detour southbound traffic on U.S. 17 to the left onto Old Vanceboro Road (S.R. 1616) to a right turn onto Half Moon Road (S.R. 1600) until a right turn onto N.C. 55 to a right turn back onto U.S. 17.

On another road matter, McMannen said he received word late Wednesday from contractor S.T. Wooten that the date has changed for the beginning of construction work to replace Bridge 35 on N.C. 43. The starting date, announced Tuesday as June 2,  has been moved to June 9. Work on that bridge over the Palmetto Swamp between Mile Road and Clark Road will detour traffic for 60 days.