WMPO receives unsolicited proposal for billion-dollar tolled CFMB replacement
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A privately owned replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is under serious consideration by the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization following an unsolicited proposal from Delivering Bridges LLC.
The existing bridge, which connects Wilmington and Leland, is more than 55 years old and nearing the end of its lifespan. Multiple design concepts have been proposed in recent years as officials work toward a replacement.
The proposal, presented during a special WMPO meeting on Wednesday, outlines a plan to design, finance, build, and operate a new bridge, funded in part through tolls.
Under the proposal, tolls could be as high as $2.75. Plans call for a six-lane bridge with enough vertical clearance for cargo ships to pass underneath. Construction is estimated to take four years, with a possible opening as early as 2031.
Officials stressed the proposal remains in its early stages and does not represent a formal agreement. David Roy, director of innovative finance at the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, said the submission is not a binding offer.
“What that is is really just an idea,” Roy said. “It’s important to note it is not a formal bid, it is not a formal proposal. It is not a binding offer to construct the project, it’s an idea.”
WMPO Executive Director Mike Kozlosky said funding limitations are a key reason the organization would look at considering a privately backed option.
“There’s $337 million available for the replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge,” Kozlosky said. “When DOT submitted the grant application, the cost of the bridge was somewhere in the high $400 million range.”
The North Carolina Department of Transportation now estimates the total cost of a replacement bridge could exceed $1 billion.
NCDOT may soon begin formally evaluating the proposal, including reviewing potential environmental impacts. Officials said that the assessment process could take up to four months to complete.
