The construction of a replacement bridge along New Hope Church Road in Orange County has encountered delays and will not be completed until the end of October, the North Carolina Department of Transportation told Chapelboro on Tuesday. The bridge has been under construction since this past April, and completion was tentatively scheduled for August when the project began.

According to the NCDOT, the delays have been caused by the material shortages and supply chain issues which have been affecting the construction industry as a whole.

The project will replace an aging bridge at the same site, which is located between turnoffs for Willow Blair Place and Rosa Lane. It is just to the southwest of exit 263 along Interstate 40, which leads to New Hope Church Road.

Until completion, drivers are asked to use detours along I-40 and Old NC-86 to get around the closure. The NCDOT has also recommended motorists be mindful of signage around the site and to watch for construction crews entering and exiting the work zones.

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