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JACKSON – A number of road improvement projects are slated for Northampton County over the next few years, according to NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) representatives.

NCDOT Division 1 Engineer Win Bridgers presented the information to the county commissioners at their meeting on June 20.

Several bridge replacement contracts are scheduled to be awarded (or “let”) between next year and 2025. Those include replacements on Deloatch Mill Road, Jenkins Mill Road, Creeksville Road, St. John Church Road, Doolittle Mill Road and Fire Tower Road.

Bridgers noted that there are also two larger projects on the horizon: improvements to NC Highway 305 and NC Highway 46. Both are scheduled to be let in 2024.

“These dates are fairly close enough that they should proceed on,” he added.

The Highway 305 project will stretch from the Seaboard town limits all the way to the Hertford County line. The improvements will upgrade the roadway with 11-foot travel lanes, widen shoulders, improve drainage, replace culverts and two bridges, and improve intersections.

Highway 46’s upgrades will stretch from the intersection with NC Highway 48 in Gaston to the Virginia state line. Similar to the other project, it will upgrade the roadway with 12-foot lanes and 4-foot paved shoulders.

Bridgers explained that stakes out along Highway 46 right now are for right-of-way negotiations that are currently underway, not construction.

The biggest project already under construction in Northampton County is the widening project on Highway 46 and US Highway 158, from the I-95 exit to St. John Church Road.

“Its current completion is 42 percent,” Bridgers reported, adding that the scheduled completion date is April 2024.

A project to install and retrofit ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) ramps on sidewalks is scheduled to be completed by June 2023. Bridgers said that project will cover a variety of locations across the county.

Bridgers wrapped up his presentation by listing roads that are slated for resurfacing. Those roads include Oak Grove Church Road, James Massey Road, Pinetops Road, Bryantown Road, Cornwallis Road, St. John Church Road, Jordan Mill Road, Hickory Tree Road, Bristow Saw Mill Road, Lasker Road, Pin Hook Road, Collier Road, Griffin Road, William Parker Road, and Mary Odom Road.

Following his presentation, Bridgers answered questions from the commissioners.

Commissioner Geneva Faulkner expressed concerns about the narrowness of Broughton Street in Gaston, where Gaston STEM Leadership Academy and Northampton High School are located.

“We tried to widen that road,” Bridgers answered.

He explained that they ran into right-of-way issues previously, but they could look into it again.

Board Chair Charles Tyner asked about the status of two private roads that had been submitted for state maintenance.

Bridgers said those applications were still being reviewed.

Tyner wrapped up the discussion by thanking Bridgers and the other NCDOT representatives for the updates.