Closure of N.C. Highway 86 Bridge in Orange County Extended; Mar. 13 Reopening Targeted

UPDATE: The North Carolina Department of Transportation issued an update on Wednesday, March 11 saying the work on the bridge of North Carolina Highway 86 over Interstate 85 in Hillsborough was not completed within the original timeline. Overnight work has now been extended to last through 6 a.m. on Friday, March 13, weather permitting. This marks the third extension on the project.

Drivers are still encouraged to use detours from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The original story, published on Feb. 23, is below.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation will conduct nightly closures on both Interstate 85 and North Carolina Highway 86 in Orange County beginning Sunday, March 1. The closures are scheduled to last until Friday, March 6, to allow for maintenance work on the N.C. 86 bridge across the interstate.

Work will occur beginning at 9 p.m. each night and finish at 6 a.m. the following morning, weather permitting. While the work is taking place, motorists are encouraged to check DriveNC.gov for real-time traffic updates and obey all posted traffic signs.

The following detours will be in place:

• I-85 southbound: Take Exit 165 and then proceed straight across N.C. 86 to return onto I-85 South
• N.C. 86 northbound: Take I-85 North to Exit 170, then turn left onto U.S. Highway 70, turn left onto I-85 South and then take Exit 165 to access N.C. 86 north of the closure
• N.C. 86 southbound: Take I-85 South to Exit 164, turn left onto South Churton Street/Old N.C. 86, left onto I-85 North and then take Exit 165 to access N.C. 86 south of the closure

The N.C. 86 bridge has seen a number of repairs in recent years. It first closed for repairs in September of 2022 when a tractor trailer crashed into the bridge and caught fire. The repair work lasted several days.

In 2023, the bridge closed for two months after another tractor trailer carrying construction equipment struck and damaged a steel support. NCDOT repairs were delayed by a month due to severe weather.

Featured image via Google Maps

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