Decision on height of Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement expected soon

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement project is moving closer to a final design.

A decision is expected sometime this spring on the final height for the replacement bridge.

The 3 options include a 65-foot moveable span, similar to the current bridge, and two fixed spans at 100 and 135 feet tall.

The 65-foot moveable span is estimated to cost more than $750 million, while the 135-foot taller fixed span is projected at around $450 million.

Bill Stolz, executive director of the Historic Wilmington Foundation, said while the cost for the 100-foot option hasn’t been released, he believes its the best choice.

“Yeah, we’re really in favor of the 100-foot bridge because of the impact or least impact on the historic district, the neighborhoods that are surrounding that, and the businesses on the Wooster, Dawson corridor,” Stolz said. “And the 100-foot span, we’re hoping will be in the footprint that it now occupies so there will be least impactful on the residents and historic structures that are located there.”

Stolz said the Foundation opposes the 135-foot design as it would expand the bridge’s footprint out to 5th Avenue, requiring the acquisition of dozens of properties.

Wilmington City Councilman David Joyner also supports the 100-foot design and hopes that no matter which option is chosen, the new bridge remains toll-free.

“So several months ago, the city council saw that this was going to be on the horizon,” Joyner said. “We took a unanimous vote to say that the City of Wilmington, our elected representatives, do not want to see tolls as a part of funding for this bridge.”

A $240 million federal grant has already been awarded for the project through the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Law.

A spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Transportation said the grant is paused due to not having an agreement in place and that the department is working with the federal government to determine when the grant could move forward.

The US Army Corps of Engineers is accepting public comments on bridge options through Monday, March 3rd, before recommending a choice to the U.S. Coast Guard, which will make the final decision.

You can email comments to the Wilmington District Section 408 coordinator at ronnie.d.smith@usace.army.mil.