MENOLA — Starting Monday, June 9, the N.C. Department of Transportation will close the bridge that spans the Cutawhiskie Swamp on Vinson Road (SR 1150), located south of the Menola community.

The bridge is scheduled to reopen to traffic in early October, weather permitting.

The closure is necessary for crews with T.A. Loving Co. of Goldsboro to remove and replace the bridge. The project site on Vinson Road will be closed during construction. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes – to include the Jim Hardy Road (SR 1152) – during the closure.

The bridge was constructed in 1953 and is classified as structurally deficient. This means it has remained safe for use, but is in deteriorating condition and needs to be replaced.

Because of its condition, NCDOT posted a weight limit restricting single-axle vehicles weighing more than 26 tons and trucks weighing more than 37 tons from using the bridge. The new bridge will meet current design standards and will not have posted weight limits.

Motorists are advised to use caution while traveling in the area and to expect delays. NCDOT reminds motorists to watch signs for construction information, stay alert and obey the posted speed limit.

For real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit the NCDOT traffic website or follow NCDOT on Twitter. Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type “m.ncdot.gov” into the browser of your smartphone. Then, bookmark it to save for future reference. NCDOT Mobile is compatible with the iPhone, Android and some newer Blackberry phones.