A portion of the All American Freeway and its Fort Bragg gate will close starting this summer for up to two years for a major restoration project.

The closure is needed for an N.C. Department of Transportation contractor to replace the 50-year-old Gruber Road bridge over the All American Freeway and repair highway settling on Fort Bragg. 

The project will require the Gruber Road overpass and interchange, as well as the freeway between Gruber and Zabitosky roads and the All American Access Control Point, to close traffic in both directions for up to two years.

While the All American gate is closed, the Fort Bragg Visitors Center adjacent to the gate will remain open during the construction.

Officials with Fort Bragg and the NCDOT intend to make these long-term upgrades to avoid costly recurring maintenance to the bridge and freeway, which was completed in the 1970s. Consolidating the work under one closure will speed up construction, lower costs and improve safety for crews and detoured motorists.

The Gruber Road bridge is nearing its useful lifespan and, in its current condition, restricts heavy military equipment from crossing it. The segment of the All American Freeway between Gruber and Honeycutt roads has begun to settle where a landfill operated long ago, causing damage to the highway’s drainage system. The innovative repair process will include removing, replacing and compacting several feet of soil.

This week, NCDOT awarded a $15.5 million construction contract to Highland Paving of Fayetteville for this project. Fort Bragg and NCDOT officials will alert the public and those living and working on Fort Bragg before the closure begins this summer sometime after the Fourth of July.

Under an Intergovernmental Support Agreement adopted in 2019 and amended two years later, Fort Bragg uses NCDOT’s expertise to design and manage certain highway construction and maintenance projects on the post while the Army fully pays for the work.