The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will spend $105 million to replace three bridges in Wrightsville Beach. The department expects to kick off construction in Spring 2028.
Following multiple inspections, NCDOT has determined that all three bridges – while still safe to use – are deteriorating and will no longer be viable for maintenance within the next decade. The bridges have been scheduled for replacement, with the new bridges being built at the same locations as the current structures.
Each bridge has been exposed to salt spray for between 50 and 70 years, a process that has deteriorated the concrete in the girders. The reinforced steel infrastructure’s extended exposure means that the bridges only have another 10 years before their useful life cycle runs dry, presenting a credible risk to motorists and mobility in the region.
The bridge crossing the Banks Channel on US 76 will be reconstructed as a four-lane divided bridge. The structure will feature two 11.5-foot travel lanes in each direction. In addition, the department will build a 12-foot multi-use path on the north side of the bridge and a six-foot lane on both sides.
The project includes the replacement of two bridges crossing the Lees Cut and Banks Channel on US 74. Built with a similar design, the bridges will provide two 12-foot lanes, one going in each direction. Plans include building a 12-foot multi-use path on the south side of the bridge alongside two six-foot bike lanes.
Photo by NCDOTcommunications, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
This story is a part of the weekly Government Contracting Pipeline digital news publication. See more of the latest government contracting news here. For more national government news, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals.
