U.S. 701 bridge closures to pause for the rest of the week, resume on May 16

ELIZABETHTOWN, N.C. (WECT) - UPDATE: The bridge closures will pause for the rest of the week so the crane may be repositioned, according to the Elizabethtown Fire Department. They will resume on Monday, May 16. The original article follows.

The new U.S. 701 bridge over the Cape Fear River leading into Elizabethtown is planned to begin intermittent closures on May 2.

The closures would only occur on weekdays and affect traffic in both directions from 9 to 10 a.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m. The estimated completion date is May 25, and work will pause on Memorial Day and the Friday afternoon before the White Lake Water Festival on May 21.

During the construction period, Elizabethtown’s Tory Hole Park will be closed because the crane used for lifting the girders will be located on the Tory Hole side of the bridge.

“The town’s decision to close the park is a matter of safety concerns and once this phase of bridge construction is completed, the park will re-open,” wrote an official with the Town of Elizabethtown in a news release.

Per the NCDOT, contractors will be placing 42 concrete-reinforced girders which are, on average, 150 feet long. The contractor will allow emergency vehicles as needed, but larger vehicles will need to make other plans. Elizabethtown officials plan to place a fire truck on the other side of the bridge, and commercial truck drivers are asked to detour in order to keep traffic lanes open.