Oak Island bridge to close for months starting Monday

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — The G.V. Barbee Bridge on N.C. 133 over the Intracoastal Waterway will be closing for six months, starting at 7 a.m. Monday.

NCDOT says the closure is needed to allow a contractor to safely do extensive preservation work and repairs to the bridge.

The $15.8-million contract awarded to Sloan Construction of Duncan, SC earlier this year calls for the replacement of 28 spans of the bridge, a new roadway surface, and an upgrade to the existing barrier rail. There will also be improvements on a short stretch of N.C. 133 by the bridge, as well as 5.2 miles of East Oak Island Drive.

According to a news release, although the contract was awarded more than four months ago, the start of work was held off until now to accommodate the summer tourism season, as well as last weekend’s U.S. Open King Mackerel Fishing Tournament.

NCDOT says the renovated bridge is scheduled to open to traffic by April 15, 2019, although the contractor can earn an incentive bonus for every day before that date that it opens.

N.C. 133 will be closed at the base of the bridge on both the north and south sides, with access remaining open to all homes and businesses along the highway.

A signed detour will send traffic to the N.C. 906 (EF Middleton Boulevard) bridge to get on and off the island. Lane closures are possible at other times during the project, although no closures are allowed between 6 and 9 a.m. and 4 and 7 p.m. on Monday thru Thursday or between 6 a.m. on Friday and 7 p.m. on Sunday.