Construction projects: Here’s an update

Janet Imrick
Randolph Hub

ASHEBORO — Randolph County Commissioners received updates on capital improvement projects, with the news that four are complete.

At the Sept. 3 Board of Commissioners meeting, County Engineer Paxton Arthurs presented photos and designs for nine builds and renovations:

- Balfour Human Services renovation

- Bush Creek pedestrian bridge

- Health Department renovation

- Health Department storage building.

- Randolph County Courthouse elevator

- Northgate renovations

- Randolph County Agricultural Center

- Randolph County Detention Center

- Sandy Creek Pedestrian bridge.

Of those projects, he said Balfour Human Services, the detention center, Northgate, and the Sandy Creek bridge are complete. The Public Health and Human Services building at 215 Balfour Drive in Archdale held its open house on July 25. All that remained for the detention center was some paperwork to finish the gate to the employee parking lot.

Arthurs also announced that they have begun work on a study on how to provide space according to the county’s needs.

Projects in progress

- The Historic Courthouse elevator’s final inspection is scheduled for Sept. 20. As builders make the finishing touches, they are holding the return of county commissioner meetings until November.

- The Randolph County Agricultural Center also had its completion date pushed back. Arthurs told commissioners that weather delays made them reschedule to May 18, 2025, instead of March. They began work on the road, curb and gutter, and footings at the arena space. Thanks to a Golden LEAF grant, they were able to add a storage shed.

He also shared a rendering of a sign for the center, which will stand 30 feet high at the entrance along U.S. Highway 64.

Unsuitable soil and trench rock is driving up costs of the build. Arthurs said they got Falcon Engineering to do exploratory drilling. So far, they have spent $443,157 on the soil with a credit to help cover the cost. They expect it to cost more than $225,000 to remove trench rock.

- The Public Health Department has concluded Phases 1-3 of renovations at 2222 South Fayetteville Street in Asheboro. They are now working on Phase 4, which is the dental station. Arthurs said they are also working on the brick veneer for the department’s storage building this month.

Bridges for Deep River State Trail

- In Franklinville, the Sandy Creek Pedestrian Bridge and Trail will have its ribbon cutting on Oct. 18, which is Great Trails State Day. Arthurs said that Tropical Storm Debby became an unofficial test of the bridge, and it sustained minimal damage from a log jam. They will reinforce the Deep River State Trail sign on the bridge.

- The Bush Creek Pedestrian Bridge is an ongoing project. Arthurs said they were not able to achieve “No Rise,” which is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) certification for floodways. They applied for a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) from FEMA to try and update the flood plain maps.