Feb. 1, 2013. N.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Tata has awarded a $584,984 contract to D.H. Griffin Infrastructure of Greensboro to replace a bridge, install a culvert and realign Big Horse Creek Road near U.S. 19 East in Minneapolis. Work can begin between April 1 and June 15, and must be completed by April 11, 2014.
The bridge was built in 1958 and is deemed both functionally obsolete and structurally deficient. This does not mean the bridge is unsafe, but there are elements of the bridge that need to be monitored to maintain its structural integrity, and its layout no longer meets current design standards for width, shoulders or railings.
The new bridge will be able to accommodate larger vehicles than the current bridge. By replacing it, NCDOT will improve motorist safety, make travel more efficient and help the local transportation network last longer.
This is one of 24 contracts totaling $59.9 million awarded by NCDOT in January for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina. NCDOT awarded the contracts to the lowest bidders, as required by state law. The bids received on the projects awarded came in about 4.8 percent, or $3.1 million, below NCDOT estimates.