The new bridge near Morganton Heights shopping center is
expected to open this weekend.
Angela / ANGELA KUPER COPELAND / THE PAPER
Morganton drivers will be heading into 2026 on the tail end of one of the city’s largest road projects in recent years. The new bridge connecting West Fleming Drive near Morganton Heights Shopping Center is expected to open this weekend.
The new bridge is taller and will be able to more easily accommodate potential growth in the rail industry, built with more modern standards, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. At 262 feet long, the new bridge features 12-foot-wide travel lanes and a 10-foot multi-use path on the south side.
According to NCDOT, the $23 million contract is expected to finish eight to 12 months ahead of schedule and within budget. Construction by Mountain Creek Contractors Inc. out of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., started in July 2023, and originally was expected to take five years with a January 2028 completion.
However, NCDOT accelerated construction for a new completion date of March 29, 2027. With nearly 75% of the project completed, remaining construction includes signal additions, sidewalks, and roadway improvements, according to NCDOT.
Traffic shifted in late January, taking drivers across a temporary bridge where Fleming Drive crosses the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks on the southwest side of Morganton. The two-lane road was also reduced to one in each direction as drivers approached the temporary detour.
To track updates on the project, you can visit the NCDOT’s progress report site and enter “District 13” and “Burke” to see details and construction progress.
Madison Lipe is the municipal reporter for The Paper. She can be reached at 828-445-8595 or madison@thepaper.media.
Pine Mountain Property Owners Association holds ribbon
cutting
The Burke County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for
Pine Mountain Property Owners Association on Nov. 14. They are
located at 2885 Pine Mountain Drive, in Connelly Springs. Chase
Billow cut the ribbon alongside Burke County Commissioner Chairman
Jeff Brittain, team members, friends, family, and many supporters.
Also in attendance were Burke County Commissioners Randy Burns and
Mike Stroud; Dr. Joel Welch, president of Western Piedmont
Community College; Burke County Chamber President and CEO Tonia
Stephenson; and Chamber Ambassador Carl Beardsworth. Learn more by
calling 828-437-4894.
Pine Mountain Property Owners Association holds ribbon
cutting
The Burke County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for
Pine Mountain Property Owners Association on Nov. 14. They are
located at 2885 Pine Mountain Drive, in Connelly Springs. Chase
Billow cut the ribbon alongside Burke County Commissioner Chairman
Jeff Brittain, team members, friends, family, and many supporters.
Also in attendance were Burke County Commissioners Randy Burns and
Mike Stroud; Dr. Joel Welch, president of Western Piedmont
Community College; Burke County Chamber President and CEO Tonia
Stephenson; and Chamber Ambassador Carl Beardsworth. Learn more by
calling 828-437-4894.
Business
Morganton’s Table Rock Pharmacy earns national award for community impact
Burke County patients gained national recognition this month after Table Rock Pharmacy in Morganton was named the 2025 AlignRx Pinnacle Award winner for its impact on community health and access to care.
AlignRx, the nation’s largest independently owned pharmacy services organization, selected Table Rock Pharmacy for its patient focused care and its work to close local healthcare gaps.
The annual Pinnacle Award honors one community pharmacy nationwide for exceptional service to patients, the community, and the health care system.
Table Rock Pharmacy was cited for expanding access to care in Burke County by becoming North Carolina’s first pharmacy certified to provide yellow fever vaccinations and the first in the county to offer long-acting injectable services, A1C testing, and hormonal contraceptive prescribing.
During Hurricane Helene owners Michael Stout and Jessi Stout, kept the pharmacy open by transporting a generator by wheelbarrow to protect refrigerated medications.
Staff manually recorded transactions so patients could receive prescriptions, issued temporary medications when providers were unavailable, and coordinated with local physicians and volunteers to supply emergency drugs.
The pharmacy also donated medications and partnered with other North Carolina pharmacies through Operation Streamline to reach hard to access areas.
“Table Rock Pharmacy represents the best of independent pharmacy,” AlignRx President Melanie Maxwell said in a statement. “Their commitment to patient care, innovation, and service, especially during Hurricane Helene, makes them deserving of the Pinnacle Award.”
Jessi Stout said the recognition reflects the work of the entire team.
“There are countless pharmacies doing incredible work nationwide, which makes this especially meaningful,” Stout said. “This award reflects the dedication and heart of our team and their commitment to serving our community.”
Stout is a cofounder of the Patient Health Access Coalition and serves in leadership roles with the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists and the National Community Pharmacists Association. Her recent honors include NCAP Community Care Pharmacist of the Year, the NCAP President’s Service Award, the Don Blanton Award, and Cardinal Health Pharmacist of the Year.
Founded in 1990, Table Rock Pharmacy serves Morganton and greater Burke County with services that include immunizations, Medicare consultations, medication synchronization, compounding, travel vaccines, and diabetes and respiratory testing.
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