ELIZABETHTOWN — On Wednesday, the U.S. 701 bridge over the Cape Fear River will be reduced to one lane to allow crews to complete a necessary step of the construction process.

Flagging operations will be necessary on the two-land bridge to safely direct traffic through the construction zone.

The lane reduction is a temporary necessity that will allow workers to detach the river gauge, which is used by state and federal agencies to monitor the river level, from the old bridge so it can be installed onto the new bridge.

Drivers can expect the one-lane operation to be in place from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Drivers should expect travel delays in each direction and should add an additional 15 minutes to their commute. As always, drivers should also be cautious when traveling through the work zone for the safety of themselves, other drivers, and crew members.

As the N.C. Department of Transportation contractor constructs the new bridge alongside the old one, traffic has recently been shifted from the old bridge to the new one to allow the old structure can be demolished.

The new bridge will have four lanes when it is completed next spring.