The Major Coltrane Bridge on U.S. 52 in Hillsville has been reconstructed in “record time.” As a result, U.S. 52 has been reopened to traffic at the northern end of town.

The 70-year-old bridge had been under construction since late July after the Commonwealth Transportation Board allocated funds to rebuild the bridge, which had previously undergone many rounds of smaller repairs to keep it in accordance to accepting required weight limits. When VDOT Resident Administrator Bob Beasley told the Carroll County Board of Supervisors of the repairs this summer, he called the four-month contract to complete the bridge a “record-setting time frame.” While a few final touches remain, the Major Coltrane Bridge was reopened to traffic Nov. 4, nine days under the deadline set for contractor D.A. Brown, Inc.

“He’s done a great job. As far as I am concerned, that was one of the tightest schedules I have seen on a project of that type and he has executed it very efficiently,” Beasley said.

When the project was announced in late June, members of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors expressed concern over the closure of U.S. 52 because of repairs to the bridge, which is located next to the old Quality Mills/Cross Creek Plant. A detour route was set from Route 620 to U.S. 52 over to Interstate 77, but Beasley said if I-77 clogged, all bets were off. Fortunately, the closure did not cause significant problems in that regard.

“There were (no significant problems) to my knowledge. I think we had almost 60 signs up designating the detours,” Beasley said. “I am sure there was a lot of inconvenience and that is regrettable, but this is an amazingly short time to replace a bridge of that length and height.”

In June, Beasley also told Carroll supervisors that the problems that led to the bridge’s reconstruction had caused him many sleepless nights. With reconstruction nearly finished, Beasley hopefully can rest a little easier now.

“The old bridge served this area over 70 years and I look forward to this serving at least that long,” Beasley said.