Old Mill Pond bridge project in Granite Falls in the home stretch (photos included)

GRANITE FALLS, NC (December 4, 2017)…It is looking more likely that Granite Falls residents may be receiving a new bridge for Christmas.  Travel times will go back to normal and congestion on Dudley Shoals Road will be greatly decreased as a result.  The NCDOT told us that the Old Mill Pond bridge will “more than likely be opened for traffic before the end of the year.”  There is still more concrete work to be done on the bridge deck as well as off the bridge which includes barriers, sidewalks, curbing and driveways.  Guardrail and striping will also need to be completed.  There will also be work that needs to be done on the approaches to the bridge, some of which has been already started.  Opened for traffic does not mean that the project will be 100% complete as other parts of the project will need to be completed such as landscaping which may require lane closures to do so.  A project of this scope and size could have taken another year to complete according to the NCDOT.