NCDOT awards $3 million to improve 10 bridges over I-85 in Granville and Durham counties


RALEIGH — A $3 million contract has been awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation to improve 10 bridges over I-85 between Durham and Oxford. Taylor & Murphy Construction Company Inc. of Asheville was the low bidder for work on eight bridges in Granville County and two in Durham County.

Preservation work is scheduled in Granville County for bridges on:

  • Gate #2 (Exit 189);
  • N.C. 56 (Exit 191);
  • U.S. 15 (Exit 202);
  • N.C. 96 (Exit 204);
  • U.S. 158 (Exit 206);
  • Brogden Road;
  • Smith Road; and
  • Bryans Hill Road.

The work in Durham County will involve bridges on East Club Blvd. (Exit 179) and Glenn School Road (Exit 180) in the northern part of the county.

The work will include the removal of deteriorated deck surface concrete and rebar corrosion from the bridges by hydrodemolition, the use of high-powered water jets. That will be followed by the placement of latex-modified concrete on the bridge deck. It reduces infiltration of water and salt below the roadway surface, extending the life of the pavement longer than regular concrete, and improving the ride quality for motorists. It is also sets and hardens faster, allowing for a quicker re-opening of a bridge than typical concrete. There will also be some structural repairs, and cleaning and painting.

This type of project is a way to extend the life of a bridge, and is done at a cost significantly lower than continually repairing or even replacing the bridge. It’s part of the NCDOT’s $430 million bridge plan for 2011-12, which calls for preservation, repairs or replacement of 450 bridges statewide.

Work on the project can start between June 1 and Oct. 1, and is scheduled to be finished 42 weeks after the start date.

Because of the traffic volume on I-85, work will be done at night to lessen the travel impact for motorists. No lane closures are allowed on I-85 between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Sundays.

There will be times during the project that all lanes of north or southbound I-85, U.S. 15, U.S. 158, N.C. 96, N.C. 56, Gate #2 Road, East Club Blvd. or Glenn School Road will need to be closed briefly because of the specific type of work being done on the bridges. That can also only be done during overnight or early weekend mornings, with a maximum closure time of 30 minutes. At the end of that time, the closed road must be re-opened to allow all backed up traffic to travel through the area.

This is one of 24 contracts worth $117.6 million awarded by Transportation Secretary Gene Conti for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina. NCDOT awarded the contracts to the lowest bidders. The bids received on the projects awarded came in about 17.5 percent, or $25 million, below NCDOT estimates.

Since Gov. Bev Perdue took office in January of 2009, NCDOT has awarded 599 highway contracts totaling $4.2 billion to ensure that all North Carolinians have access to jobs and educational opportunities.

For more information about funding for infrastructure improvements in North Carolina, as well as other NCDOT projects and activities, visit www.ncdot.gov.