As the N.C. Department of Transportation continues improvement work along I-95, some nearby rural routes are also getting some much-needed updates. Beginning in September, work will begin to replace a pair of bridges on South Old Stage Road (SR 1741) in northern Robeson County, south of St. Paul’s.

The 53-year-old spans are situated about 150 feet apart and cross the Big Marsh Swamp. (Old Stage Road runs from East Grace Marsh Church Road to U.S. 301 north of St. Paul’s). The $1.1 million contract was awarded to the Tara Group of Lumberton Inc., which will have six months to complete the project and reopen the road.

According to an NCDOT news release, both bridges remain safe but have become “functionally obsolete,” which means they no longer meet modern design standards and cannot be used by certain heavy vehicles.

The pair of outdated bridges are not unique. According to a report by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association released earlier this year, more than 5,000 bridges across North Carolina need repairs.

Highlights from the report

• Of the 18,749 bridges in North Carolina, 1,460, or 7.8 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition. That is down from 1,764 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2016.
• The report also identified the top 25 most-traveled structurally deficient bridges, with two spans in the Fayetteville area making the list: 19th — Harnett County: I-95 over Stoney Run; Year built: 1965; Daily crossings: 45,000. 20th — Cumberland County: SR1414 over Branson Creek; Year built: 1940; Daily crossings: 35,000. Leading the way statewide was I-40 over Walnut Creek in Wake County. Built in 1982, the bridge has 118,000 daily crossings.
  37 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 90.3 percent of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the Interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals.
• 2,551 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
• The state has identified needed repairs on 5,680 bridges at an estimated cost of $3.7 billion. This compares to 1,931 bridges that needed work in 2016.

According to a news release from Sen. Thom Tillis, the bipartisan infrastructure bill the Senate recently passed contains $457 million for North Carolina bridge construction and repair over the next five years. Currently, North Carolina has nearly 1,500 bridges considered in “poor” condition, the release said. The bill is now being considered by the U.S. House.