03/28/2024
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By Erin Smith

For many Bladen County residents, Hurricane Matthew is nothing more than a bad memory. For the North Carolina Department of Transportation, repairs of damaged roadways and bridges continues. A series of barrels on US Highway 701 South crossing the Cape Fear River has been drawing stares and comments as drivers are wondering what type of work is taking place there.

The single lane barricade stretches from the intersection of NC 53 West and US 701 South to the entrance of Tory Hole Park in Elizabethtown.

NC DOT Engineer Kenneth L. Clark said in an email, “The project on US 701 involves repairing over 20 plus washes that occurred on the southbound fill slope during Hurricane Matthew.”

Clark said in order to prevent a similar situation from occurring during future storms, NC DOT plans to install shoulder berm gutters with drainage boxes along the entire length of the southbound lane from the northern overflow bridge to the entrance to Tory Hole Park.

Clark wrote, “This will essentially create a 10-foot paved shoulder along the outside of the southbound lane. In addition, all of the guardrails will be replaced along both the southbound and northbound lanes.”

He said the contractor has until October 1 to complete the job. Clark said a subcontractor made a striping change at NC 242 and the barrels were put into place a few weeks ago to allow drivers to become accustomed to the lane change. Clark said the barricades were necessary due to the fact the guardrail has already been removed in some locations and the remaining guardrails will be removed in the near future.

“All materials have been received and we expect the contractor to be on the job full time week after next,” said Clark.

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