Neuse River Bridge in Johnston County Will Be Replaced

SMITHFIELD – Work to remove and replace the U.S. 301 bridge spanning the Neuse River south of Smithfield will begin this spring, after the state highway department awarded a $9.4 million contract this month.

The bridge – built in 1926 and widened in 1951 – is nearing the end of its useful life. 

The highway will not be closed during the three-year construction timeline. Two new lanes of the bridge will be built on the west side of the existing bridge. Once completed, traffic will be shifted onto the two new lanes, allowing for the removal of the existing bridge and additional construction of the new structure. 

After construction, the new bridge will have one lane in each direction, separated by a middle turn lane to match the traffic pattern on U.S. 301 on either side of the Neuse River.
The contractor can begin as early as May.

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***NCDOT***