Skanska USA will quickly start work to exchange the Lindsay C. Warren Bridge over the Alligator River in North Carolina’s Tyrrell and Dare counties, the state DOT introduced final week.
The American arm of the Sweden-based builder and developer received a $450 million contract to interchange the 65-year-old swing-span bridge with a two-lane, fixed-span bridge simply north of the present one.
Staff will start driving pilings within the coming weeks, the Jan. 8 announcement stated. Different actions, reminiscent of clearing, will start quickly after. The contract with Skanska says the bridge will open to visitors within the fall of 2029, and the demolition of the previous bridge will start in spring 2030.
The present bridge is the principle entry for automobiles to the Outer Banks barrier islands from the west through U.S. Route 64, in addition to a essential hurricane evacuation route, per the discharge. The getting old span is repeatedly maintained, North Carolina DOT stated, however is liable to mechanical failures that may drive motorists onto a 99-mile detour.
Tourism is the No. 1 business of the Outer Banks with greater than 5 million guests every year, based on the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.
The brand new bridge will try and alleviate these pressured detours for motorists in addition to enhance river visitors for the greater than 4,000 boats that journey by the swing span yearly.
