Groundbreaking scheduled for new Bonner Bridge construction

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — Construction is about to begin on the replacement for the current Bonner Bridge.

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday in the parking lot at the south end of the bridge. Gov. Pat McCrory is expected to attend.

Construction of the 3.5-mile span is expected to take about three years to complete.

Last June, state transportation officials and environmental groups reached an agreement allowing for construction of the new bridge, which will run parallel to the current one. The project had been delayed for years by legal wrangling and budget concerns.

When the original Bonner Bridge was built in 1963, it had an expected life span of 30 years.

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