North Carolina DOT Unveils Revised Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement Alternative in Wilmington on November 4
On November 4, the North Carolina Department of Transportation unveiled a revised alternative for replacing Wilmington's Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, adjusting the fixed-span option to reduce impacts on downtown and the historic district. StarNews Online reported that NCDOT Division 3 Engineer Trevor Carroll told a news conference the revised Alternative B remains a fixed-span bridge with 135 feet of clearance but adds a large loop design that maintains access to Third Street, replacing the original plan that tied in at Fifth Avenue. On the New Hanover County side, parcel impacts drop drastically from 63 to 17, and potential relocations from four to two.
Built in 1969, the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is a four-lane steel vertical-lift bridge that remains safe but is functionally obsolete and can no longer effectively serve traffic demand. NCDOT is choosing between Alternative A, a movable-span bridge with 65 to 135 feet of clearance, and the revised fixed-span Alternative B. The project is estimated at $1.1 billion, with a $242 million federal grant and an $85 million state commitment secured, leaving a $773 million gap; tolling remains under consideration. The public comment period runs through December 4, and NCDOT expects to select an alternative in early 2027. Two public hearings in September drew more than 1,800 comments.
(Source: StarNews Online)
Source: StarNews Online
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：威尔明顿开普菲尔纪念大桥。NCDOTcommunications 摄，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington. By NCDOTcommunications, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
