US$242 million for Cape Fear bridge replacement

Funding worth US$242 million is being provided for the Cape Fear bridge replacement project in North Carolina. The funding package is being delivered through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This will be provided to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

The bridge features an unusual steel vertical-lift section measuring 408m in length. The structure carries US 17, US 76 and US 421 over the Cape Fear River and links Brunswick County with New Hanover County. The lift span can be raised by 41m, allowing vessels travelling to and from the nearby Port of Wilmington to pass underneath.

The bridge opened to traffic originally in 1969 and while it is in a comparatively safe conditions, its maintenance costs are high. Traffic estimates suggest that the bridge will be carrying up to 85,000 vehicles/day by 2045, which the structure will be unable to cope with. Extensive maintenance work is commencing on the structure at present and is being managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) but the bridge has limits on its capacity.