Myers Chapel Road to be completed in October

  • Digital message signs warn of a detour ahead. This one is on School Drive near Yellow Jacket Drive.
    Digital message signs warn of a detour ahead. This one is on School Drive near Yellow Jacket Drive.
  • These detour signs greet drivers at the intersection of Myers Chapel Road and Highway 64 East. The bridge under construction is at that end of the Myers Chapel Road, within sight of the highway. It should be completed in October.
    These detour signs greet drivers at the intersection of Myers Chapel Road and Highway 64 East. The bridge under construction is at that end of the Myers Chapel Road, within sight of the highway. It should be completed in October.
    Just a few more months, and those detour signs along highways leading to Myers Chapel Road should go away. According to Adam Dockery, Resident Engineer for North Carolina Department of Transportation, District 3, Division 14, the Myers Chapel Road Bridge project is on schedule to be completed by October 2026. Originally built in 1921, Dockery said the bridge was not considered unsafe. It was selected for replacement because of deterioration and the high cost of maintenance for the old bridge. When it was constructed more than a century ago, it would not have been built with the weight standards of current bridges. The Myers Chapel bridge today must accommodate many campers, dump trucks, boats on trailers, and other vehicles, on a daily basis. "Current design standards are set to meet today's traffic volumes and loading ratings," Dockery explained. Though many residents say they feel like the road has been closed for years, the project actually started Tuesday, March 24. In addition, the project remains on budget at approximately 2.5 million dollars. Dockery reminded the money being used for this project is federal money. Many social media comments have also posted about multiple bridges being rebuilt on Myers Chapel; however, Dockery confirmed the one closest to Highway 64 east is the only bridge with work being done. The confusion may be because there are detour signs at each end of Myers Chapel Road — both on Highway 69 and Highway 64. Dockery ended with this reminder, "Make everyone aware that we apologize for the inconvenience and that we urge motorists to obey traffic laws, posted speed limits, and construction signs while traveling along Myers Chapel Rd."