Lane closures on Central Boulevard have shifted as repairs to Aiken Bridge continue. Now, the right northbound and southbound lanes are closed between Memorial Drive and Riverside Drive to allow for completion of the bridge repairs.
These outside lanes will remain closed through July 21.
The lane closures will be in effect 24/7. Motorists are urged to slow down and be alert to altered traffic patterns or consider an alternate route.
Bridge repairs began in early May with the closure of the inside or passing lanes, restricting motorists to one lane of travel both northbound and southbound.
The bridge, which was built in 1970 to carry traffic over the Dan River, was scheduled for major rehabilitation. Major bridge repairs generally are due every 20 years. For the Aiken Bridge, the repairs include patching of the deck, replacing expansion joints and applying epoxy sealer to fill cracks.
Last year, the city carried out major repairs to the Central Boulevard bridge over Riverside Drive. Next summer, the city has scheduled major repairs for the bridge over Sandy Creek.
The city maintains 41 bridges. Each bridge is inspected every two years either by a staff engineer or by a private contractor.
