The end of the academic year typically brings about a series of road construction projects in Chapel Hill and greater Orange County, and this year is no different.

North Carolina Department of Transportation crews are working on several major thoroughfares in Chapel Hill and expect that work to continue through November 1.

The projects include work being done on East Franklin Street, Estes Drive, Weaver Dairy Road and several other secondary roads.

The work, which began late last month, is expected to include various lane closures while resurfacing crews are on the scene.

Two other projects are expected to begin construction in the next few weeks in Orange County.

The bridge extending US 70 Bypass over the Eno River on the eastern side of Hillsborough is set to be replaced after a $4.8 million contract was awarded to replace the 78-year-old bridge.

DOT officials said the bridge was categorized as structurally deficient. Under that designation, the bridge is still safe to travel on but “it has reached the end of its useful life and should be replaced.” A two-lane temporary bridge will be installed to minimize traffic impacts in the area during the construction.

Work is expected to begin on the bridge replacement early this summer in order for the bridge to reopen in July 2021.

Another contract has been awarded to provide $4.6 million in bicycle and pedestrian improvements on a roughly one-mile stretch of Old Durham-Old Chapel Hill Road between US 15-501 in Chapel Hill and Pope Road at the Durham City limits. The project is expected to include bicycle lanes, crosswalks and sidewalks.

The is the second phase of work aimed at improving the connector road after the first section – from Pope Road to Garrett Road – was completed last month.

That bike and pedestrian improvement work is expected to begin this fall before being completed by August 2020.

Photo via Town of Chapel Hill

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