Traffic headache ahead in Fayetteville

Starting Monday, getting to Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville is going to get trickier.

DOT officials will close the Morganton Road bridge over the All-America Freeway for several months. Commuters will have to use alternate routes to get from McPherson Church Road to Skibo Road.

Transportation officials say the closure is necessary to replace the aging bridge. The $11.8 million project could extend into November.

Detour routes will be posted around the bridge site.

In addition to the bridge closure, the All-American Freeway itself will be closed at Morganton Road for the next two weekends. Engineers will use that time to bring in heavy equipment needed for the bridge replacement.

One thing to look forward to: The project will mean more lanes for the busy bridge. Currently, the road has two lanes going in each direction; once the road work is complete, there will be three lanes on each side, plus two turn lanes.

The Morganton Road bridge is one of the most heavily-traveled in the city. Officials estimate 55,000 vehicles cross the roadway each day.