This page will be updated as needed with the latest news and information about the North Carolina Department of Transportation's project to demolish and rebuild the West Main Street bridge over Campus Drive.

Oct. 30, 2013: West Main Street to Open Thursday

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced late Wednesday that West Main Street between Swift Avenue/Broad Street and Buchanan Boulevard will re-open by 5 p.m. Thursday - earlier than the Friday projection. While the bridge will be open, work in the area will continue as a contractor rebuilds the stone wall along West Main Street. Maps of Detours The section of West Main Street along East Campus from Buchanan Boulevard to Swift Avenue/Broad Street is closed for five months for a state project to demolish and rebuild the bridge over Campus Drive. Google Maps of NCDOT Detours Motorists traveling East on West Main Street will use Swift Avenue to NC-147 to Chapel Hill Street to Duke Street. See map. Motorists traveling West on Main Street will use Gregson Street to Chapel Hill Street to NC-147 to Swift Avenue. See map. Trucks traveling West on Main Street will use Buchanan Boulevard to Chapel Hill Street to NC-147 to Swift Avenue. Trucks traveling on Gregson Street will use Peabody Street to Buchanan Boulevard to Chapel Hill Street to NC-147 to Swift Avenue. See map.

Oct. 28, 2013 Update: West Main Street Expected to Open Nov. 1

[UPDATE: 4:45 p.m.] Crews working on the state Department of Transportation project have announced that West Main Street will reopen Friday, Nov. 1, because further work will be needed to finalize utility relocation and even out portions of pavement. Original post follows below.

West Main Street, between Buchanan Boulevard and Swift Avenue/Broad Street, is expected to reopen to traffic on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Jamal Adkins, engineer on the state Department of Transportation project, said a specific time of day to reopen the closed portion along East Campus hasn't been established, but the stretch will reopen, weather permitting. Last week, crews were finishing aesthetic portions of the bridge reconstruction, including pavement marking and installing aluminum fencing.

Check back to Duke Today for an update on expected reopening time.

Oct. 22, 2013 Update: Construction in Final Weeks

After months of work to demolish and rebuild the West Main Street bridge over Campus Drive, construction crews are nearing the end of the $1.9 million state project.

Weather permitting, crews are expected to finish by the end of October, said Jamal Adkins, engineer on the state Department of Transportation project. At that time, motorists will once again be allowed to use the stretch of West Main Street along East Campus, between the Broad Street/Swift Avenue and Buchanan Boulevard intersections.

The most recent work along the bridge has included sidewalk installation, final grading of the new surface and asphalt paving. All that is left in the final weeks of the project is additional paving and aesthetic upgrades like aluminum fencing and pavement marking.

Demolition of the bridge began in mid-June and dealt with delays over the summer due to above-normal levels of rain. Once the road reopens, West Main Street along East Campus will provide one lane each way for vehicle traffic and a lane on both sides for bicyclists.

Oct. 10, 2013 Update: Campus Drive Underpass to Close Overnight Oct 14 and Oct 15

From 8 p.m. Oct. 14 to 6 a.m. Oct. 15 and 8 p.m. Oct. 15 to 6 a.m. Oct. 16, crews working on the West Main Street bridge will restrict access along the Campus Drive underpass. The area underneath the West Main Street bridge will be closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic to allow for construction activities.The construction will temporarily impact Duke's C1 and C2 bus routes, which will detour around Smith Warehouse from Campus Drive to Maxwell Avenue while the underpass is closed. The bus routes will return to normal at 6 a.m. Oct. 16.

Oct. 3, 2013 Update: Bridge Work on Schedule to Finish this Month

With few weather-related delays in recent weeks, construction on the West Main Street bridge is on-schedule to complete by the end of this month. Jamal Adkins, engineer on the state Department of Transportation project, said that work should finish by the end of October, allowing for traffic to resume traveling along West Main Street between Buchanan Boulevard to Swift Avenue/Broad Street. Crews working on the project recently poured the concrete bridge deck and added a barrier rail. Next steps include storm drain installation and final grading work. After that, new sidewalk will be added and additional paving will take place before opening back up for good.Once the road reopens, West Main Street along East Campus will provide one lane each way for motor vehicle traffic and a lane on both sides for bicyclists.

Oct. 1, 2013 Update: Campus Drive Underpass Closed Overnight Wednesday

Motorists, pedestrians and Duke bus riders using Campus Drive near East Campus will be impacted by overnight work this week.

From 8 p.m. Oct. 2, to 6 a.m. Oct. 3, crews working on the West Main Street bridge will restrict access along the Campus Drive underpass. The area underneath the West Main Street bridge will be closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic to allow for construction activities.

The construction will temporarily impact Duke's C1 and C2 bus routes, which will detour around Smith Warehouse from Campus Drive to Maxwell Avenue while the underpass is closed. The bus routes will return to normal at 6 a.m. Thursday.

Sept. 18, 2013 Update: Campus Drive Underpass Closed Tonight

Motorists, pedestrians and Duke bus riders using Campus Drive near East Campus will need to allow for extra travel time for part of this evening.

From 8 p.m. tonight, Sept. 18, to 6 a.m. tomorrow, Sept. 19, crews working on the West Main Street bridge will restrict access along the Campus Drive underpass. The area underneath the West Main Street bridge will be closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic to allow for construction activities.

The construction will temporarily impact Duke's C1 and C2 bus routes, which will detour around Smith Warehouse from Campus Drive to Maxwell Avenue while the underpass is closed. The bus routes will return to normal at 6 a.m. Thursday.

Sept. 9, 2013 Update: Campus Drive Underpass Closings This Week

Motorists and Duke bus riders using Campus Drive near East Campus will need to allow for extra travel time this week.

Beginning Monday night, Sept. 9, crews working on the West Main Street bridge will temporarily restrict access along the Campus Drive underpass overnight.

From 8 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, the area underneath the West Main Street bridge will be reduced to one lane of traffic. Crews on site will direct traffic and the partial closure won't impact any Duke bus routes. Pedestrian travel will still be allowed underneath the bridge.

Work will begin again from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 through 6 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. In this case, both lanes will be closed to vehicle traffic. Pedestrians will still be able to cross underneath the bridge along Campus Drive.

The construction will temporarily impact Duke's C1 and C2 bus routes, which will detour around Smith Warehouse from Campus Drive to Maxwell Avenue while the underpass is closed. The bus routes will return to normal at 6 a.m. Thursday.

Neither vehicle nor pedestrian traffic will be allowed underneath the bridge from 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 to 6 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13, as crews pour concrete above the pedestrian canopy.

Sept. 4, 2013 Update: West Main Street To Reopen in Late October

After a wetter-than-normal summer, the projected completion date of the West Main Street bridge project has been delayed by a few weeks from its original early October time frame.

The state Department of Transportation now expects to finish rebuilding the 63-year old bridge in late October. The work was expected to take 130 days from its May 13 start, but because the Triangle has received nearly nine inches more rainfall than usual and summer workdays were interrupted, the completion date needed to be pushed back.

Currently, construction crews are preparing to pour concrete for the bridge's deck. Other planned work includes leveling the new surface and installing storm drainage.

The project has West Main Street closed at Buchanan Boulevard, although traffic is able to access Southgate Circle from the Main Street-Broad Street/Swift Avenue intersection. The Campus Drive underpass is open to two-lane, two-way traffic and will remain so unless work activities require a closure between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. on workdays.

July 19, 2013 Update: West Main Street bridge underpass on Campus Drive to remain closed

In order to expedite construction on West Main Street, the section of Campus Drive immediately under the Main Street bridge will remain closed until Aug. 19, at which time it will open for vehicles and pedestrians as Duke prepares for first-year student move-in. From Aug. 20 onward, there may be periodic closures during night hours for construction activities. Further updates of the North Carolina Department of Transportation project will be published on Duke Today as the project progresses.

June 17, 2013 Update: West Main Street bridge demolition to begin today

The underpass at Campus Drive is scheduled to close at 2 p.m. today in both directions as part of the work to demolish the West Main Street bridge.

During demolition, the underpass will be closed in both directions to pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Duke buses and vehicles that usually take the underpass will be re-routed along Maxwell Street and Buchanan Boulevard (see this map.) At Buchanan and West Main Street, vehicles and the C2 Duke buses will be permitted to pass through the barricades at West Main Street to enter and exit East Campus through Campus Drive off West Main Street.

After bridge demolition is complete, which is expected to be several weeks, the underpass will open and the intersection at West Main Street and Buchanan Boulevard will close again to westbound traffic.

May 31, 2013 Update: Bridge demolition delayed

Demolition of the West Main Street bridge has been delayed and is now expected to start on June 10, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Once demolition begins, work is expected to continue to June 28.

During demolition, the underpass at Campus Drive will be closed in both directions to pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Duke buses and vehicles that usually take the underpass will be re-routed along Maxwell Street and Buchanan Boulevard (see this map.) At Buchanan and West Main Street, vehicles and the C2 Duke buses will be permitted to pass through the barricades at West Main Street to only enter and exit East Campus via Campus Drive off West Main Street.

After bridge demolition is complete, the underpass will open and the intersection at West Main Street and Buchanan Boulevard will close again to westbound traffic.

Maps for East Campus access:Now to June 9June 10 to June 28June 29 until further notice

May 23, 2013 Update: Bridge demolition rescheduled to June 3 to June 21

Due to recent rain, demolition of the West Main Street bridge over Campus Drive has been rescheduled and will occur June 3 to June 21, said Jamal Atkins, assistant resident engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

During demolition, the underpass at Campus Drive will be closed in both directions to pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Duke buses and vehicles that usually take the underpass will be re-routed along Maxwell Street and Buchanan Boulevard (see this map.) At Buchanan and West Main Street, vehicles and the C2 Duke buses will be permitted to pass through the barricades at West Main Street to only enter and exit East Campus via Campus Drive off West Main Street.

After bridge demolition is complete, the underpass will open and the intersection at West Main Street and Buchanan Boulevard will close again to westbound traffic.

As a reminder, West Main Street at Swift Avenue/Broad Street will remain closed to thru traffic during the state’s five-month project. Limited access to West Main Street is permitted from Swift Avenue/Broad Street to only enter and exit the circular Southgate residence hall driveway.

Maps for East Campus access:

Now to June 2

June 3 to June 21

June 22 until further notice

Additional updates will be posted as needed, and Duke community members are encouraged to check Duke Today for the latest news and information.

May 8, 2013: West Main Street to close

For the article about the closure of West Main Street in Durham for five months, please see this.