View Watkins Road bridge replacement in a larger map

A bridge replacement project will close a one-mile section of Watkins Road in northeast Raleigh for five months, starting Monday, the state Department of Transportation says.

Dane Construction Co. of Mooresville has an $802,370 contract to replace the Watkins Road bridge over Powell Creek.  The bridge, built in 1951, is considered functionally obsolete and structurally deficient.

Watkins Road will be closed to through traffic between Mitchell Mill Road and Watkins Town Road.  Traffic will be detoured via Mitchell Mill, Forestville, Old Watkins and Watkins Town roads.  The work is to be completed by Sept. 12.