NCDOT to Begin Preservation Work on U.S. 52 Bridge Over I-40 in Winston-Salem

Thursday, October 24, 2013

RALEIGH — Beginning tomorrow night, weather permitting, motorists who travel on U.S. 52 near I-40 in Winston-Salem will encounter lane and ramp closures as the N.C. Department of Transportation performs preservation work on the bridge carrying U.S. 52 over I-40. The work will preserve the bridge deck and extend the lifespan of the bridge by as much as 20 years.

To rehabilitate and preserve the 42-year-old bridge, crews will use high-powered jets of water to remove the deteriorated concrete from the bridge deck. Once the hydro-demolition process is complete, crews will place a layer of latex-modified concrete on the bridge’s driving surface. These enhancements will improve the ride quality for motorists, as well as help the bridge last longer by sealing and protecting the deck and substructure from water damage.

U.S. 52 SouthFrom 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, until 6 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, the right lane of U.S. 52 South will be closed near the bridge over I-40. Crews will also close the ramp from U.S. 52 South to I-40 East, and motorists on U.S. 52 South will follow a signed detour to Clemmonsville Road (Exit 105), proceed to U.S. 52 North, and then take Exit 107A to I-40 East.

The ramp from I-40 West to U.S. 52 South will also be closed during this time. A signed detour will direct motorists on I-40 West to take Exit 193B to U.S. 52 North, then Exit 108A to Sprague Street, then proceed to U.S. 52 South.

On Monday, Oct. 28 through Wednesday, Oct. 30, the left lane of U.S. 52 South will be closed at the bridge over I-40 as crews perform the concrete deck overlay.

U.S. 52 NorthOnce the preservation work is completed in the southbound lanes, crews will begin working in the northbound lanes. The work will require the left lane of U.S. 52 North to be closed from Wednesday, Oct. 30 through Friday, Nov. 1.

At 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, crews will close the right lane of U.S. 52 North. The ramp from U.S. 52 North to I-40 West will also be closed and a signed detour will direct motorists on U.S. 52 North to proceed to Sprague Street (Exit 108A), then take U.S. 52 South to I-40 West.

The ramp from I-40 East to U.S. 52 North will also be closed during this time, and a signed detour will direct motorists on I-40 East to take Exit 193A to U.S. 52 South, then take Exit 105 to Clemmonsville Road and proceed to U.S. 52 North. The work is expected to be complete by 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 4.

This project is part of the department’s State-Funded Bridge Improvement Program to improve the overall condition of the state’s bridges. The department is investing $810 million over four years to strategically perform preservation or rehabilitation work when possible instead of just replacing bridges across the board. This approach enables NCDOT to extend the lifespan of existing bridges at a significant costs savings, stretching taxpayer dollars further and improving more bridges overall.

The department urges motorists to “know before you go” about traffic conditions on U.S. 52. For real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ncdot_triad. Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type “m.ncdot.gov” into the browser of your smartphone and bookmark it for future reference. NCDOT Mobile is compatible with the iPhone, Android and some newer Blackberry phones.