Work on Whalebone Junction, Slash Creek Bridge projects will start Monday

Two North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) projects are expected to start on Monday, October 7, which will result in minor travel delays and/or detours in the coming weeks.

Details from the NCDOT on each of these projects are below.

Whalebone Junction Project

Contractors for NCDOT will begin a project to replace crossline pipes and mill and resurface the roadway on U.S. 158 between N.C. Highway 12 and the Melvin Daniels Bridge on Monday. (This area is locally known as Whalebone Junction.)

The work will be done in two phases. The first phase will involve replacing a pipe culvert under U.S. 158 and two crossline pipes at the intersection of Cape Hatteras National Park Road and South Virginia Dare Trail.

During this phase, traffic on U.S. 158 will be reduced to two lanes from East Gray Eagle Street through the Whalebone intersection.

In addition, motorists traveling between U.S. 158 and N.C. 12 will need to follow a detour route onto East Gull Street. A temporary traffic signal will be set up at the intersection of U.S. 158 and East Gull Street to facilitate the detour route.

The pipe and culvert replacements are expected to be complete in two weeks, weather permitting. Once complete, the traffic shift and detour route will be removed, and the process of milling and resurfacing U.S. 158 will begin. During this phase, single lane closures will be in place where the resurfacing work is taking place.

All work at Whalebone Junction is expected to be complete by mid-November, weather permitting.

Slash Creek Bridge replacement in Hatteras Village

Work to replace the aging Slash Creek Bridge on N.C. 12 in Hatteras Village will begin Oct. 7, per an update from the NCDOT.

The $4.5 million project will replace the 68-year-old wooden structure with a two-span cored slab bridge. The work also includes drainage improvements and the leveling and resurfacing of Eagle Pass Road.

During the bridge replacement project, barricades will be placed at the north and south ends of the bridge, closing the road to all traffic. Through traffic will take a detour route along Eagle Pass Road, while local traffic will be permitted up to the bridge itself.

All work is expected to be complete by May of 2025, weather permitting. Motorists are advised to exercise caution, follow all posted signs, and adhere to the detour route around the work zone.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.