The Yadkin River Bridges are five bridges crossing the Yadkin River between Rowan and Davidson Counties near Spencer, North Carolina, USA. Separated by less than 1000 feet (300 m), the crossings consist of a bridge carrying Interstate 85 / U.S. Highway 52, two bridges carrying the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and two bridges carrying U.S. Highway 29 / U.S. Highway 70 / NC 150.
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The Interstate 85 Yadkin River Bridge, completed in 1955, carries four lanes of Interstate 85 (two in each direction). The bridge is not only a bottleneck for traffic moving between Charlotte and Greensboro (and between the larger metropolitan areas of Atlanta and Washington, D.C.; it is also structurally deficient and is in need of replacement. In terms of cost, national importance, and imminent structural failure, it is the highest-profile construction project in North Carolina. The state government asked for federal funding to build a wider, safer replacement but only received $10 million in TIGER money.[1] As of 2010, the bridge carries over 70,000 vehicles every day.
The funding for the $180 million design-build project, to be completed in 2013, would come from the $10 million from TIGER, $20 million from the state's Transportation Improvement Program, and GARVEE bonds to be repaid over 12 years.[2] The DOT announced April 30 that Flatiron-Lane would build the new I-85 bridge, a replacement bridge for the U.S. 29-70 northbound traffic, bridges taking I-85 over the railroad's main line and a spur line, and redesign one interchange and remove another, in addition to widening and relocating three miles of I-85, for a total cost of $136 million, $44 million less than expected.[3] The state and federal departments of transportation approved the plan July 6.[4]
On September 29, 2010, state and local officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on the Davidson County side of the project. Work on the project was scheduled to start the next day.[5] By October 9, 20 acres had been cleared after approximately a week.[6] To build the actual bridge, crews spent five months building a half-mile long, 38-foot wide temporary steel bridge for workers and equipment.[7][8]
State representative Fred Steen plans to introduce legislation to call the I-85 bridge the Yadkin River Veterans Memorial Bridge.[9]
The northbound bridge's foundation was complete by December 2011, with traffic scheduled to move to that bridge by the end of March 2012.[10]
The Wil-Cox Bridge is a concrete arch bridge carrying the southbound lanes of U.S. 29 and the westbound lanes of U.S. 70. It was completed in 1924 at a cost of $212,000, is almost 1300 feet (400 m) long,[11] is 20 feet (6 m) wide, and consists of seven open spandrel arch spans. The Wil-Cox Bridge, named for highway commissioners W.E. Wilkinson of Charlotte and Elwood Cox of High Point, is one of only six of its type left in the state.[11] When the I-85 bridge is replaced, this bridge will no longer be used for traffic. Until early 2009, the state was planning to demolish the bridge, but preservationists wanted it saved as a pedestrian bridge,[12] "a regional historical artifact" to become part of a planned greenway system.[11] Davidson County decided to consider taking ownership and responsibility for maintenance, with the state giving the county the $2.5 million estimated cost of demolition. In March 2010, Davidson County voted to take the bridge, though one opponent pointed out that preserving the bridge would be more of a tourism advantage to Rowan County,[12] which did not want the bridge.[13] Tourist attractions in the area included Trading Ford and the former site of the Civil War fort Camp Yadkin.[14]
On April 8, 2010, the N.C. DOT closed the Wil-Cox Bridge due to safety concerns. Inspectors discovered the problems in December 2008, but the closure of the bridge was expected to take place in a few years once the I-85 bridges were ready. Delays on the I-85 bridges mean these problems have become serious enough to require repairs to keep the bridge in service.[15]
On July 21, 2010, Pat Ivey of the N.C. DOT said the bridge would be used as a detour during construction, so the state will spend $1.5 million on repairs.[14] The work was under way as of February 2011.[16]
By April 15, 2011, upgrading on the bridge was halfway to completion. A month later, workers were using a technique called "shotcrete", using a hose to spray concrete into those spaces where damaged concrete had been removed. By July the work was expected to be complete; the bridge would be needed as a detour.[17][18]
On September 1, 2011, work on Wil-Cox Bridge was complete, allowing the bridge to be used as a detour if needed during replacement of the U.S. 29-70 bridge.[19]
The Norfolk Southern Railroad Yadkin River Bridges were built in 1906 and 1919 and each contain four spans of Warren deck truss.
The U.S. Highway 29 North / U.S. Highway 70 East Bridge is a steel girder bridge built in 1951 as a companion to the Wil-Cox Bridge. It is scheduled for replacement.