Bridge to stay closed while engineers develop plan to repair damage

BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The U.S. 701 northbound bridge in Bladen County will remain closed while the Department of Transportation comes up with a plan to repair damage caused by Hurricane Florence.

The DOT closed the bridge spanning the Cape Fear River Thursday for an inspection.

On Friday, engineers determined soil weakened by Hurricane Florence has caused a shift in an interior bridge pier.

Once a repair is in place, the department can schedule a time to reopen the bridge.

In the meantime, northbound traffic will remain shifted onto the two-land southbound bridge, which will now operate in a two-way traffic pattern.