A stretch of Highway U.S. 1 in Richmond County has been operating a one-lane traffic pattern recently, causing some delay and concerns.

The trouble spot was in Hoffman near the Valero Gas Station where the N.C. Department of Transportation is trying to shift the road closer to the station in order to construct a five-lane road. In doing this work, they noticed they had a big amount of grade change, due to heightened elevation because of the bend in the road, which is why they needed to do the repaving.

Traffic was backed up for many minutes headed in either direction on U.S. 1 last week, but Highway Division 8 Construction Engineer John Olinger said the contractor stopped the work for the weekend race traffic, and added that usually, a one-lane pattern, “typically isn’t a problem down there.”

The resident engineer for the project Marty Tillman said there are still three to five days left on that particular piece of the project, but after that it should be back to a normal traffic pattern.

Tillman said the Pinebluff to Marston portion of the project is about 20 percent complete.

Olinger said the portion of the project in Rockingham, in front of Richmond Senior High is 18 percent ahead of schedule and they hope to have traffic running on both sides by the end of the year, though the paving might not be entirely complete.

Olinger said there are seasonal restrictions on when they can pour asphalt, and around Dec. 15 is when the paving will halt until the spring.

Olinger added that the bridge in between Pinebluff and Hoffman is on schedule as well.

“They’re moving along good,” Olinger said.

The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2011.

n Staff writer Eren Tataragasi can be reached at (910)997-3111 ext. 19 or at etataragasi@yourdailyjournal.com.