The North Carolina Department of Transportation has announced on Monday and Tuesday next week, the U.S. Business 17 Washington Drawbridge will be closed beginning 8 a.m., and will reopen Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday’s detour will take motorist from U.S. 17 to U.S. 264 to U.S. 17 bypass to N.C. 33 to U.S. 17.

NCDOT is scheduled to do work on the swing span portion of the bridge. The Washington Drawbridge is a part of NCDOTs bridge preservation program.

The bridge work continues to be a top priority for the NCDOT, with $450 million in state funds allocated for bridge improvement projects, according to the NCDOT website. In the previous two fiscal years, the bridge budget was $215 million in 2011-2012 and $235 million in 2012-2013

Currently, the North Carolina Bridge Health Index stands at 64 percent.

For all other projects in Beaufort County and across the state visit www.NCDOT.gov.