The N.C. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday morning that the new bridge spanning the Cape Fear River in Elizabethtown is open to all traffic and the old bridge is closed.
North bound traffic on U.S. 701 has been rerouted to the new bridge. South bound traffic began using the new bridge last week. The old bridge is closed and will be demolished in order to finish constructing the four-lane bridge.
Drivers should be alert for the new traffic pattern and aware of any crossovers being used.
Construction began on the new bridge in 2020 after NCDOT awarded a $23.3 million contract. The bridge is scheduled to be completed in spring 2024.
Other road-related announcements for Bladen County include:
• Twisted Hickory Road (State Road 1003) is closed at Britt Road (State Road 1143) through Friday, May 5 for crossline repair.
• Elwell Ferry is expected to remain closed through Tuesday, May 9 because of high water from rain last weekend. The ferry crosses the Cape Fear River and connects N.C. 87 and N.C. 53 connecting Carvers Creek and Kelly. It’s located at 2700 Elwell Ferry Road.