RALEIGH, N.C. — A contractor has defaulted on a contract to build a $12.3 million bridge replacement on Interstate 40 in North Carolina, a state agency said.
The N.C. Department of Transportation said in a news release that it terminated its contract with National Bridge Builders LLC of Kernersville over several issues, including its “failure to resolve payment issues” and “provide sufficient labor and equipment to complete the project.”
News outlets report NCDOT said National Bridge completed about 55% of the bridge work and was paid $7.1 million. The bridge, part of Sugar Hill Road in McDowell County, will pass over I-40. Construction began on the project in July 2019 with an original completion date of March 2022.
The Asheville Citizen Times reported it was unable to reach officials with National Bridge Builders for comment.
NCDOT requires contractors to have a bonding company in case the agency is forced to terminate a contractor’s right to work on a project. In this instance, a bonding company is now responsible for the project, and no construction activity will occur until a new contractor is hired to take over the job, which is expected to occur later this year.
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