$57 million to be given for highway improvement

RALEIGH — The N.C. Board of Transportation today awarded contracts totaling $57.6 million for highway improvement projects in 10 counties at its meeting in Raleigh.

The contracts are for projects in Cabarrus, Clay, Craven, Macon, Moore, New Hanover, Richmond, Robeson, Stanly and Wayne counties.

Included are contracts to:

· Widen and resurface 6.5 miles of U.S. 17 from N.C. 43 to the southern leg of Antioch Road (State Road 1433) north of New Bern in Craven County. The $1.9 million contract was awarded to S.T. Wooten Corp. of Wilson. Work is scheduled to begin as early as March 17, 2009, with final completion set for Oct. 14, 2009;

· Improve the southern part of the existing computerized traffic signal system in Wilmington in New Hanover County. The $1.5 million contract was awarded to Traffic Control Devices Inc. of Altamonte Springs, Fla. Work is scheduled to begin as early as April 1, 2009, with final completion set for Nov. 1, 2010;

· Widen 1.4 miles of N.C. 211 from east of N.C. 72 to east of Snake Road (S.R. 2110) in Lumberton in Robeson County. The $2.2 million contract was awarded to Barnes Paving Company Inc. of Lumberton. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Dec. 1, with final completion set for Nov. 15, 2009;

· Widen 8.4 miles of U.S. 1 to a four-lane divided highway from just north of the Moore/Richmond County line, where the existing divided highway ends, to south of Marston Road (S.R. 1001) in Richmond County. The $26.6 million contract was awarded to R.E. Goodson Construction Company Inc. of Darlington, S.C. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Dec. 1, with final completion set for Nov. 15, 2011;

· Widen 3.9 miles of U.S. 64 east of the Hiwassee River to east of N.C. 175 near Hayesville in Clay County. The $12.5 million contract was awarded to Phillips & Jordan Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Dec. 1, with final completion set for Nov. 1, 2010; and

· Widen 0.9 miles of Riverview Street (S.R. 1323) from U.S. 441 Business to N.C. 28 in Franklin in Macon County. The $3 million contract was awarded to Tennoca Construction Company Inc. of Candler. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Dec. 1, with final completion set for June 1, 2010.

The board also awarded contracts for the following bridge work:

· Replace an existing bridge on Cornelius Harnett Drive (Old N.C. 133) over the CSX railroad tracks in Wilmington in New Hanover County. The $3.3 million contract was awarded to B & K Coastal LLC DBA Cape Fear Paving of Wilmington. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Dec. 1, with final completion set for Oct. 1, 2010;

· Replace an existing bridge on Lanetown Road (S.R. 1532) over the Nahunta Swamp north of Goldsboro in Wayne County. The $736,651 contract was awarded to S.T. Wooten. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Dec. 1, with final completion set for Dec. 31, 2009;

· Construct a bridge on Old Kingsdale Road (S.R. 2210) over U.S. 74 south of Lumberton in Robeson County. The $3.2 million contract was awarded to R.E. Goodson Construction Co. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Dec. 1, with final completion set for May 15, 2010;

· Replace an existing bridge on St. Martin Road (S.R. 1963) over Scaly Bark Creek in Stanly County. The $612,751 contract was awarded J.T. Russell & Sons Inc. of Albemarle. Work is scheduled to begin between Dec. 1 and April 1, 2009, with completion 135 days after the start date; and

· Replace an existing bridge on Poplar Tent Road (S.R. 1394) over Coddle Creek in Cabarrus County. The $1.9 million contract was awarded to Dane Construction Inc. of Mooresville. Work is scheduled to begin as early as Jan. 5, 2009, with final completion set for May 15, 2010.

The next board meeting will be at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, in Room 150 of the Transportation Building at the corner of Wilmington and Morgan streets in downtown Raleigh. On Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 8:30 a.m., board committees will begin meeting.