The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement is one of the most talked about — and costly — infrastructure projects in the Wilmington area.
Overlooking the historic district and linking the Port City to booming Brunswick County, the structure has become an iconic symbol for the Wilmington area. With Wilmington's rapid population growth bringing increased traffic, the N.C. Department of Transportation has declared the bridge "functionally obsolete," meaning it cannot keep up with demand.
The proposed replacement has stirred up a number of issues among local residents and officials, including the impact of tolls and property acquisition.
Here are some statistics regarding the bridge and its replacement.
1969
The year the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge opened to
traffic
$500,000
Cost of operating and maintaining the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge annually
70,000
Average number of cars that cross the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge per day
$1,110,700,000
Estimated cost of the Alternative A moveable span bridge, the more expensive and popular option
135
Clearance required for the replacement bridge by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in feet
2.6
Acres of conservation land on Eagles Island anticipated to be impacted
43
Percent of average weekday traffic NCDOT expects will be diverted to the Isabel Holmes Bridge by drivers avoiding tolls
$242,000,000
Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to partially fund the replacement
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement by the numbers
