A section of Clayton Carriker Road north of Ellerbe in Richmond County will be closed starting Monday as a North Carolina Department of Transportation project to replace the 54-year-old bridge over Little Mountain Creek gets under way.
The closure will be between U.S. Highway 220/N.C. Highway 73 and Bennett Road, and is expected to be in place until Dec. 18.
The bridge being replaced is considered structurally deficient and functionally obsolete, said NCDOT officials.
According to a press release from NCDOT, that means it was built to lane width and other standards no longer used for bridges, and although it is safe, it has been requiring maintenance and repair and eventually needed to be replaced.
“This particular bridge has been in planning since early 2011,” said Resident Engineer Chuck Dumas of Aberdeen. “The contract was advertised in June of 2012 and the contract was awarded to Dellinger Inc. in July of 2012.”
According to Dumas, residents of Clayton Carriker Road will need to go around the bridge depending on where they live, but will still be able to access their homes.
He said the closure means a signed detour route will be in place. Motorists going south on U.S. Highway 220/N.C. Highway 73 will be directed to continue past Clayton Carriker Road, then right onto N.C. Highway 73, and right onto Bennett Road to get back to Clayton Carriker Road. Motorists heading east on Clayton Carriker Road will turn right on Bennett Road, left on N.C. Highway 73 and left onto U.S. Highway 220/N.C. Highway 73.
NCDOT reminds motorists to watch signs for construction information, stay alert and obey the posted speed limit. Updated travel information is also available by calling 511 or online at www.ncdot.gov/travel. In addition, NCDOT now offers travel information on Twitter at http://www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter.
For more information on this project, contact the resident engineer at 910-944-7554.





















