Long Branch Road exit off I-95 in Dunn closes for 1 year for widening project

According to the DOT, the two-lane bridge will be demolished and replaced with a taller and longer three-lane bridge.

The four on and off I-95 ramps at the bridge will also be redesigned, making the ramps longer for drivers trying to merge onto the highway.

According to the DOT, the change will make the interchange safer and double the highway's travel lanes from four to eight.

During the bridge construction, drivers will still be able to take Exit 71 and turn right, the DOT said. They will not be able to turn left.

Eventually, all the ramps will close, and drivers will need to take Exit 70 instead.

In 2021, when the Long Branch Road bridge and Exit 71 reopens, Exit 70 will close for similar construction on the Bud Hawkins Road bridge.

Pain then progress: More lanes coming on I-95 in NC

“Widening Interstate 95 has long been a need in North Carolina for congestion, safety and economic development,” NCDOT's Terry Hutchens said. “It is great to see portions of I-95 widening funded.”

Construction there is scheduled to begin in 2027.