Boys Camp Road Bridge Details
The Boys Camp Road Bridge in Lake Lure was destroyed during the destruction of Hurricane Helene. The Town worked quickly to establish temporary access following the storm and has continued maintaining that crossing while the permanent replacement has moved through the required processes. Although the temporary crossing is not ideal, it has provided access to residents throughout the recovery effort.
The following is a synopsis and timeline for restoration of the Bridge.
- April 28, 2025: FEMA obligated funding for design and engineering.
- May 5, 2025: The Town issued a Task Order to LaBella Engineering for Bridge Design
- Throughout the process, Town staff have worked closely with the engineer to advance the project while ensuring all FEMA requirements were met.
- Note that this project involves federal funding and required procedures cannot be bypassed without risking reimbursement eligibility.
Several issues arose during the design phase of this project that required additional time to resolve, including delays in obtaining survey information, right-of-way discrepancies that required extensive research, FEMA Environmental and Historic Preservation review requirements, easement discussions with adjacent property owners, and modifications to the project approach when an easement needed for construction activities could not be obtained from one of the affected property owners.
- November 10, 2025: The preliminary design was submitted.
- February 23, 2026: The final design was completed.
- March 20, 2026: Bid documents were finalized and advertised.
- April 14, 2026: Bids were opened.
After bids are received, projects (especially federally funded) must go through required compliance reviews before a contract can be executed. This includes verification of bid responsiveness, confirmation of funding eligibility, and review of federal procurement requirements.
- May 5, 2026: The apparent low bidder was selected, and a Notice of Award and draft contract were issued.
- During their review of the draft contract, questions arose that had to be resolved prior to award and contract execution.
- May 21, 2026: Once requirements were satisfied, the contract was fully executed.
As the project transitions into construction, coordination with utility providers remains ongoing.
- Existing AT&T facilities within the project area must be relocated before certain construction activities can begin.
- While the Town, engineer, and now contractor have worked with AT&T throughout the process, the relocation work must be completed by the utility owner.
- As a result, portions of the schedule are dependent on actions outside of the Town's direct control.
- The Town continues to coordinate with AT&T and monitor progress to minimize any impacts to the construction timeline.
- June 8, 2026: A pre-construction site visit with the contractor is scheduled.
Following this meeting, the Town anticipates issuing a Notice to Proceed before June 20, 2026. The contract requires substantial completion within 120 days of the Notice to Proceed. The Substantial completion date is set for the 9th of December, and the project completion date is set for the end of December.
While the timeline has been longer than anyone would prefer, it is not unusual for FEMA-funded disaster recovery infrastructure projects of this magnitude. Looking across western North Carolina, many communities continue to work through similar recovery projects that face the same challenges.
The project is now under contract and advancing toward construction. We will continue to keep residents informed as work progresses.
Thank you for your patience as we work through all of the requirements and challenges.
For questions: Please email Communications@townoflakelure.com
