By Charlotte Smith
Contributed photo by NCDOT
In a bizarre incident that unfolded around 1 a.m. on December 27, a BMW convertible unexpectedly appeared on a section of the new US 701 bridge still under construction over the Cape Fear River in Elizabethtown. Jason Johnson, the NCDOT resident engineer overseeing the project, sheds light on the peculiar event and the subsequent measures taken to address it.
The N.C. Highway Patrol early reports suggest that the driver emerged unharmed from the incident. The NCHP, which had tagged the vehicle as abandoned on the morning of December 27, reportedly cited the driver in connection with the unusual incident.
The construction site, marked by signs, barrels, and barricades, features more than 200 barrels strategically placed to guide drivers through the completed sections. Daily inspections, conducted even during the Christmas holiday period, ensure that the work zone and traffic control devices remain intact and operational.
Despite these precautions, the BMW driver managed to bypass the safety measures and venture onto the section of the bridge still under construction. Johnson emphasizes that, prior to the incident, an inspector had been scheduled to visit the project site on December 27 to conduct a routine inspection. It was during this visit that the abandoned car was discovered, along with a few misplaced barrels, a common occurrence due to various factors such as being bumped, shifted, or run over.
Notably, the accident transpired on a part of the bridge housing rebar and other construction materials, prompting authorities to refrain from immediate towing. Instead, a decision was made to wait for the contractor to delicately lift and remove the vehicle from the bridge to minimize potential damage. This meticulous approach aimed to safeguard the integrity of the bridge while facilitating the owner’s subsequent towing arrangements for necessary repairs.
The unusual incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by construction sites in ensuring public safety and underscores the importance of adherence to traffic control measures, even in seemingly inactive zones.
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