KINSTON – A section of Hardy Bridge Road in Lenoir County will be closed for two years while crews replace a pair of bridges.

The route between Davis Hardy and Pine Bush roads will be closed beginning Monday at 8 a.m. Contract crews will replace two bridges over the Neuse River and overflow.

Both bridges were built in 1954 and have weight restrictions. The replacement bridges will be wider and have no weight limit. Construction of the bridges is anticipated to take two years, with the road reopening to drivers in late summer 2023.

Drivers will be detoured onto N.C. 55, N.C. 903, and Jenny Lind Road. The N.C. Department of Transportation suggests drivers give themselves extra time for their commute and use caution around the work zone.

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