| Cape Fear Memorial Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Cape Fear Memorial Bridge |
| Carries | I-20 (Future) US 17 Bus. / US 76 / US 421 |
| Crosses | Cape Fear River |
| Locale | Wilmington, North Carolina |
| Maintained by | North Carolina Department of Transportation |
| ID number | unknown |
| Design | Vertical lift bridge |
| Total length | 924.5 m (3,033 ft) |
| Width | 16.5 m (54 ft) |
| Longest span | 408 feet (124 m)[1] |
| Load limit | 46.8 tonnes |
| Clearance below | 21 m (69 ft) |
| Opened | October 1, 1969 |
The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is a steel vertical-lift bridge in North Carolina. It carries U.S. Route 17 Business, U.S. Route 76, and U.S. Route 421 across the Cape Fear River between Brunswick County and New Hanover County. It also carried U.S. Route 74 until that designation was shifted to the Isabel S. Holmes Bridge. It is currently the highest bridge in North Carolina and features a lift span that can be raised 135 feet (41 m).[2] The lift span is 408 feet (124 m) long.[1]
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The bridge was constructed in 1969, and replaced a 1929 bridge (which was removed) across the Northeast Cape Fear River, near where the Isabel Stellings Holmes Bridge is today. Between May and August 2008, the bridge is undergoing repairs of cracks in its decking. Because the bridge is narrow and carries much more traffic than when it was built, it is considered functionally obsolete by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. There has been discussion of a new bridge across the Cape Fear River downstream from downtown Wilmington. However, the Cape Fear Skyway remains in the early planning stage.