Concrete poured for Hawthorne Lane bridge after nearly 3 years of construction

Concrete was poured Monday for the long-delayed Hawthorne Lane bridge over Independence Boulevard, and the bridge is expected to be in use by August.

The bridge is being rebuilt for extension of the Gold Line streetcar line. It closed in mid-2017 for what was supposed to less than two years of work.

But construction halted in early 2019 because steel girders for the project didn’t meet specifications. The completion date was then set for April.

In March, however, the Charlotte Area Transit System said the contractor had been unable to acquire materials needed to adjust the girders or meet work schedules. The authority also blamed lane closures on Independence Boulevard due to holidays, special events and bad weather.

The third and final concrete pour for the bridge is now scheduled for Thursday, weather permitting, the city said in a construction alert. Pours for the bridge’s sides, medians and sidewalks will take place in the coming weeks, it said.

Apart from the bridge, Gold Line work to be completed in the coming months includes installation of overhead wiring, track installation and platform shelters, according to a city update.

The $150 million project will extend the Gold Line eastward a half mile along Hawthorne Lane from Novant Presbyterian Hospital to Sunnyside Avenue, and westward 2 miles from the transit center to French Street. Streetcar service is expected to resume in late 2020 or early 2021.

This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 4:03 PM.