The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, which was finished in 1969, links downtown Wilmington with Brunswick County as it carries U.S. 17, 76, and 421 to the other side of the river. The bridge handles over 70,000 vehicles each day, including trucks transporting goods to and from the Port of Wilmington. When announcing the grant, Governor Roy Cooper explained:
“The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is a critical lifeline for Wilmington and our economy, used every day by thousands of residents, tourists headed to the beach and truck drivers going to and from the port.”
Announcing construction delays to motorists and providing information concerning detours is something with which local Print shops can assist
The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is a steel vertical-lift bridge that has become increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain, particularly the part that lifts straight up to permit taller ships to pass beneath it. According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, maintaining and operating the bridge costs about a half a million dollars per year, with the cost increasing as it ages.
The U.S. Department of Transportation grant comes from the large infrastructure bill passed in 2021 by Congress and will cover close to half of the estimated bridge replacement cost of $485m.
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