North Carolina Construction News staff writer
A $30.8 million project to replace Castle Bridge in Burke County is set to begin this fall, the N.C. Department of Transportation announced.
Balfour Beatty Construction of Wilmington was awarded the contract to replace the 64-year-old bridge, which carries traffic over Lake Rhodhiss between Connelly Springs Boulevard in Caldwell County and Malcolm Boulevard in Burke County.
Construction could begin as early as Sept. 29, with completion scheduled for March 30, 2029. Traffic will continue to use the existing bridge during the project.
The new bridge will be built about 26 feet west of the current structure and will stand roughly 6.5 feet higher. It will feature two 12-foot travel lanes and a 10-foot-wide protected multi-use path. Once complete, the old bridge will be removed.
The replacement is part of the broader R-3430 corridor project, which aims to improve roughly 10 miles of Malcolm Boulevard/Connelly Springs Road from U.S. 70 in Burke County to Southwest Boulevard in Caldwell County. While only the Castle Bridge section is currently funded, the plan leaves room for a separate northbound bridge to be added in the future if traffic demands require it.
“It’s been a long road to get to this point, and I’m delighted that everybody will soon see construction,” Division 13 Engineer Tim Anderson said. “We sought input from local municipalities, citizens, engineers and others on the bridge design with a focus on safety and mobility during and after construction.”