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Repairs in place after NCDOT works around the clock on construction

 

MILL SPRING—On September 27, damage from flooding closed the bridge over the Green River at Lake Adger Dam, temporarily cutting off a major traffic route. Workers with the North Carolina Department of Transportation have worked around the clock to get the bridge reopened.

They did just that on Saturday, opening up a major thoroughfare in the county.

One of many roadways damaged by Tropical Storm Helene in western North Carolina, the bridge on Hwy. 9’s reopening symbolizes the hard work of construction crews over the last ten days.

“We are happy to see the bridge reopen,” County Manager Marche Pittman says. “This is just one step so citizens can more easily return to their daily lives and routines.”

Wanda Payne, the Division 14 engineer with the NCDOT, said many of the bridges closed in the area were due to the approaches being washed out and damaged.

“We were able to get those abutments rebuilt,” says Payne. “Engineers came out and did structural surveys to make sure everything was sound before construction so we could get this reopened Saturday. The approaches are gravel at this point, but they will be patched in the upcoming weeks to make the structure more permanent.” 

Payne said they are focusing on many bridges and roadways in the area, and timelines for repairs are being handled on a case-by-case basis. She said they have many fast-approaching temporary repairs to get one-lane access in several areas.

Payne also expects more permanent repairs to be completed throughout the county over the next several weeks before winter sets in. She said those repairs should be finalized in December. 

“We are making great progress and have come a long way during this week and a half,” Payne said on Wednesday. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”