There is a new schedule for the four bridge replacement projects that will affect drivers, school bus routes and normal patterns for hundreds of people.
The good news is that, when it is complete, Rogers Road will be five lanes wide from South Franklin Street to Heritage Lake/Forestville Road, relieving the serious school congestion in the area because of the entrance to Heritage Elementary and Heritage Middle schools just west of the bridge.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation agreed with the town’s request to hasten its widening of the road to coincide with the replacement of the Rogers Road bridge over Smith Creek, originally set for 10-15 years down the road, but because of the time it will take to obtain all the right-of-way for the widening, the bridge replacement has been moved back from 2015 to 2016. The plan has been to close the road from March through August of that year though the road widening may require a longer time.
The Forestville Road bridge over Sanford Creek will be reconstructed in 2015, removing one access to Heritage High School and the two schools on Rogers Road. The road will be closed from April to August.
The first road closing will take place this year when Blythe Construction of Charlotte begins to replace the Purnell Road bridge over Horse Creek. Expect that road to be closed in part from November through March of 2015.
The fourth bridge that will be replaced is the one of West Oak Avenue over Richland Creek, which will be closed from November 2015 through March 2016.
The four bridge replacements locally are part of an eight-bridge project across Wake County. DOT let the $9.2-million design/build contract last year.
For more about the bridge project, see the article in the April 9 Gazette.
The town has an interactive map on its website with useful information about current and scheduled transportation projects in the area. The map highlights projects that have active construction sites, are in the process of being designed or permitted, and/or are currently funded for future design/construction. To view the interactive map, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/transportationmap.aspx.
