NCDOT provides update on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge work and communication on the project

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — “This project cannot wait another year, but if you wait another year, you may have a bigger disaster waiting,” said NCDOT Engineer Chad Kimes when speaking on the severity of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge construction work coming in January 2024.

With this work looming, city and county officials are trying to stay informed on the latest details of the work. At Monday’s New Hanover County Commissioners meeting, some commissioners felt the communication was not as clear as it should have been.

However, Kimes insists his team has been open about the timeline.

“So, basically we have been providing information as we’ve received it. One of our main ways of getting information is going to the WMPO. The WMPO, you’ve got representatives from both the counties, the various towns in this region that’s affected by this bridge. We have done several presentations during those meetings and they are supposed to take that information back to their jurisdiction,” Kimes explained.

Work was recently done on the bridge as recently as of 2018, so a few questions have been raised on the need of the construction. Why does the bridge need to be shut down completely? Why must it happen again so soon?

“The big major difference in 2018, we did not replace the support beam for the riding deck. In order to replace them, you actually have to remove members of an entire roadway,” Kimes explained when addressing some of those questions.

The NCDOT says the primary detour route during this construction work will be the Isabel Stellings Holmes Bridge, as well as I-140 to I-40, but they are still discussing other detours as well.