(LENOIR COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA) A one-lane closure is scheduled next week on Airport Road at Academy Heights Road to allow delivery and placement of 70-foot concrete bridge beams for the Airport Road bridge project over Briery Run. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), working with contractor S.T. Wooten Corporation, says traffic will be managed during the deliveries, with closures in defined windows to reduce delays.
The schedule includes work through 4 p.m., and the same timeframe will be used on September 16, 2025, weather permitting. This targeted Airport Road closure supports the ongoing culvert-to-bridge replacement that began on June 9, 2025.
Traffic management and timing
NCDOT has tied the traffic plan to normal peak hours in Lenoir County, using short, defined windows to move the heavy bridge beams with escort vehicles and flagging crews. For the beams to arrive and be set safely, lane closures will typically run between 7:30–8:30 a.m. and 2:00–4:00 p.m.
Those restrictions mirror earlier utility-related closures connected to the same project. Drivers should expect brief stops and alternating one-way traffic controlled by crews at the intersection of Airport Road and Academy Heights Road.
Important: lane closures are short, predictable windows designed to minimize disruption while allowing safe delivery of oversized loads.
Detours and local access
Detours remain in place for drivers who want to avoid delays near the work zone. NCDOT advises the following routes during the Airport Road closure and beam installation:
- Northbound detour: Herritage Street → Queen Street → Academy Heights Road
- Southbound detour: Academy Heights Road → Queen Street → Herritage Street
NCDOT adds that these detours keep local access open for neighborhoods and businesses while giving trucks room to deliver oversized loads. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, clear detour planning and steady public updates have helped reduce major traffic problems during previous phases of the project.
Safety guidance for drivers
The agency asks drivers to slow down, watch for workers, and avoid sudden lane changes near the staging area for the bridge beams. S.T. Wooten’s role focuses on safe handling of the long bridge beams and coordination with traffic control teams.
Oversized loads like these require:
- careful timing and coordination
- trained escort vehicles and flagging crews
- set crews to guide cranes and secure beam placement
The precise windows matter: beam trucks must reach the site when traffic is lighter and when flagging teams can safely direct vehicles around the work area. NCDOT’s approach—short, predictable closures instead of an all-day shutdown—aims to keep most local trips moving.
What motorists can do
NCDOT recommends that drivers:
- Check live traffic updates before leaving home.
- Use posted detours when possible to avoid stop-and-go conditions near the site.
- Build in extra time during the 7:30–8:30 a.m. and 2:00–4:00 p.m. windows.
- Follow flaggers’ instructions and do not pass queued vehicles waiting for a pilot car.
- Keep extra space between vehicles to allow trucks carrying bridge beams to turn.
For real-time information on closures and traffic, use the official NCDOT traveler site at https://drivenc.gov. The site provides live maps, closure times, and any updates NCDOT issues while the work is underway. Travelers can also monitor NCDOT social media for quick alerts if weather changes the plan or if additional brief closures are needed for safety.
Project purpose, timeline, and impacts
This project replaces an aging culvert at Briery Run with a modern bridge to improve road safety and flood resilience. The work is part of broader infrastructure upgrades in Lenoir County aimed at keeping key roads open during storms and improving daily travel.
- Project began: June 9, 2025
- Initial targeted opening: August 15, 2025 (weather permitting)
- Upcoming milestone: beam delivery and placement (next week); work through 4 p.m., including September 16, 2025
While the beam delivery marks a key milestone, NCDOT has noted that short lane closures may continue as the contractor completes remaining tasks. After the bridge beams are set, crews will continue with deck work, approaches, and finishing tasks. NCDOT has indicated any additional closures will be shorter and less frequent once the heavy lifts are done.
Community effects and preparedness
Local officials have highlighted how even short closures can affect school buses, emergency services, and commuting patterns across Lenoir County. The Airport Road closure plan attempts to limit those effects by keeping work within fixed morning and afternoon windows and posting detours that connect directly back to Academy Heights Road and Queen Street.
Businesses along the route should plan for short delays during the beam moves and stage deliveries accordingly. Parents and commuters should factor in a few extra minutes near Academy Heights Road, especially on September 16 when crews will be working through the until 4 p.m. timeframe.
Media coverage and messaging
Local media, including Neuse News and WCTI12, have been relaying NCDOT’s advisories and highlighting neighborhood impacts around the Briery Run area. Their reports echo the agency’s message that the Airport Road closure is temporary and that public safety is the top priority while the bridge beams are installed.
No new direct quotes were available from NCDOT officials in the most recent updates, but the timing, detours, and safety directions reflect current advisories.
Final takeaways
- An Airport Road closure is set for next week to handle 70-foot bridge beams.
- Closures will run in defined windows: 7:30–8:30 a.m. and 2:00–4:00 p.m., with work through 4 p.m. (including September 16, 2025), weather permitting.
- Signed detours will guide drivers around the site while maintaining local access.
- NCDOT will continue to provide updates via official channels; residents and businesses should plan ahead and allow extra time during the morning and afternoon windows.
Please follow posted signs and flagger directions, and be patient—these short-term inconveniences help deliver a safer, more resilient roadway for Lenoir County.
This Article in a Nutshell
The NCDOT, with contractor S.T. Wooten Corporation, will close one lane at Airport Road and Academy Heights Road next week to deliver and install 70-foot concrete bridge beams for the Briery Run culvert-to-bridge project. To minimize disruption, closures will occur in short windows—usually 7:30–8:30 a.m. and 2:00–4:00 p.m.—with work through 4 p.m., including September 16, 2025, weather permitting. Traffic will be managed with escort vehicles, flagging crews, and signed detours routing northbound traffic via Herritage Street → Queen Street → Academy Heights Road and southbound via the reverse. Drivers should check DriveNC.gov for live updates, follow flaggers, allow extra travel time during windows, and keep space for oversized loads. The beam delivery is a major milestone toward improving road safety and flood resilience; additional short closures may follow as finishing work continues.
