The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has ruled out a lower-clearance option for the planned replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, narrowing the choices for the long-debated project.
In a letter to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the Corps concluded that any bridge with less than 135 feet of vertical clearance would negatively impact the federally authorized Wilmington Harbor Navigation Project, which supports vessel traffic with heights up to 147 feet.
As a result, the Corps will not evaluate plans for a bridge with less than 135 feet of clearance above the current mean higher high-water level.
NCDOT had been considering two alternatives:
- Alternative B proposes a fixed bridge with 135 feet of vertical and 450 feet of horizontal clearance.
- Alternative C suggested a design with 100 feet of clearance, plus or minus 35 feet, which is now effectively off the table.
The project cost has risen from $450 million to an estimated $1.1 billion. Funding remains uncertain due to a federal pause on discretionary grants under a February executive order.
Meanwhile, debate continues locally over potential tolling, which NCDOT says may be the only feasible funding solution.
Source: WWAYTV 3 News, WECT.com
