North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Federal Highway Administrator (FHWA) Shailen Bhatt, and North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Secretary Eric Boyette highlighted a recent $110 million federal grant at the Alligator River Marina in Columbia. The funding is a key piece in replacing the Alligator River Bridge.
“Strong communities require strong investments in infrastructure,” Governor Cooper said. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this funding will help replace the Alligator River Bridge and increase high speed internet access, making our eastern counties more accessible and strengthening North Carolina for generations to come."
The project will replace the Lindsay B. Warren Bridge with a two-lane high-rise bridge. The new structure will be wider and higher than the previous, ensuring boats can travel without interrupting traffic flow. Over 4,000 boats pass through the area each year, forcing vehicle traffic to stop while the swing span opens and closes. Also, the 60-year-old swing span occasionally experiences electrical or mechanical issues that can cause the bridge to get stuck for hours or even days. If the bridge is stuck in the open position, vehicular traffic must take a detour of more than 90 miles.
The new bridge is expected to cost $294 million.
The new bridge will include 65 feet of clearance over the channel and will have 8-foot shoulders and railings of 4.5 feet. The current span has one-foot shoulders and a railing of 2-feet-10 inches.
The final bridge design is expected to be complete this fall. NCDOT expects to begin the bidding process in 2024 with construction starting later that year.
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Source: Governor.NC.Gov
