Last Updated on September 26, 2014 8:33 am
Progress continues on area bridge projects this year, as another project is just about complete.
Emory Greer Road was closed on June 2 to begin work on replacing a bridge that was originally built in 1957. According to Jami Guynn, Bridge Program Manager with NCDOT, the road will open back up next week. It will remain closed until Tuesday September 30 to allow the contractor to finish final details before re-opening the road.
Another bridge project in Foscoe on Church Road is also progressing as scheduled. That project started on June 6, and is being performed in stages allowing for one lane of traffic to be maintained throughout the life of the project. Traffic should be switched onto the first phase by the end of next week (around the first weekend of October) according to Guynn. That bridge was originally built in 1963, and the contractor is planning to complete that project by the end of the year.
This has appeared to be the year for bridge replacement and construction in Watauga County with several other projects completed earlier this year.
In March a portion of Brownwood Road was closed as DOT repaired steel beams and timber floor on a bridge. That project only took a few days to complete.
In June the replacing of a bridge on Beaver Dam Road over Little Beaver Dam Creek began. That project was completed in August.
Aiding in construction efforts is the difference in rainfall for this summer, especially during July 2014 compared to July 2013 as July 2013 broke all time records for rainfall. From July 1- July 28 officially 5.13 inches of rain was recorded in Boone this year compared to 17.71 for the same time in 2013. For the year, from January 1 -Sept 24, Boone recorded 34.10 inches this year compared to 60.89 in 2013.
