GULF — Residents who live and travel near Carbonton Bridge on N.C. Hwy. 42 in Gulf are breathing sighs of relief, finally.
The bridge, which has been closed for nearly two years to facilitate the construction of a replacement, finally opened following a scheduled Dec. 17 final inspection, according to N.C. Dept. of Transportation Resident Engineer Garry Phillips. Residents lined up at the barricades during the inspection awaiting the results. When the bridge reopened, the residents drove across honking their horns in jubilation.
“It was like a parade,” Phillips said. “And just in time for Christmas.”
At the time of its initial closure early in 2018, the construction of the new bridge, which crosses the Deep River on N.C. 42 where Chatham, Lee and Moore counties meet, was anticipated to be less than a year. The closure of the bridge forced traffic to take a detour that traveled south of the bridge on South Carbonton Road to Harrington Road, then to Steele Bridge Road and finally to Plank Road before returning onto N.C. 42 east of the bridge.
Delays under the original contractor, Extreme Concrete Cutting of Gaffney, S.C, began almost at the onset of the $2 million project and by year’s end, the anticipated finish date extended into 2019. As the project dragged on, the company was required to pay extensive liquidation fees, charges a contractor must pay daily when the work exceeds the contract period, back to the state for the delays. Phillips notes that at least $90,000 in charges have been “held back” so far with a final due amount pending closure of the contract.
By July, the NCDOT had declared the company “in default” and “requested the bonding company complete the project.” The bonding company hired Smith-Lowe LLC of Mount Airy to complete the project in late August. Smith-Lowe moved quickly and the project, which had been less than 50 percent complete, took just over three months to finish.
As the saga dragged on, residents in the area created a Facebook group, “Build Carbonton NC Bridge Now!” to both vent their frustrations and provide updates about the construction. Recent posts on the page involving the anticipated re-opening indicate residents plan to be present for the inspection and subsequent re-opening to celebrate.
Phillips noted that the final tasks that had be completed before the inspection included some shoulder work and lining of the bridge. He hoped that the weekend weather would “cooperate” and allow the work to be complete in time for the inspection scheduled for Dec. 16, but rain pushed it out an extra day until Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. Traffic on the bridge resumed immediately upon completion of the inspection on Tuesday.
Casey Mann can be reached at CaseyMann@Chathamnr.com.