New Peace Street bridge opens on Capital Boulevard near downtown Raleigh

Drivers should be prepared for a new route in downtown Raleigh this morning -- the new bridge on Capital Boulevard over Peace Street is now open.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is calling the new bridge a "milestone." The original Peace Street bridge was almost 70 years old, and many drivers have been waiting months for the improvement.

NCDOT crews said they completely reconfigured the interchange with new on and off ramps. There are also new bike lanes and widened side walks along Peace Street.

The bridge was part of a larger project to overhaul a one-mile stretch of Capital Boulevard from Wade Avenue to northbound Capital Boulevard.

That project would be completed in April.

Big switch: Capital Boulevard ramp to close as new route opens