THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 15, 1995 TAG: 9504150299
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KITTY HAWK LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Outer Banks visitors may get stuck in the same old spots this weekend as they fight Easter traffic traveling to the barrier island beaches.
But by late next month, backups at the Wright Memorial Bridge may be a thing of the past - or at least a lot shorter.
Two new lanes - on a new span - are scheduled to open May 19.
Twice as many vehicles will be able to cross the Currituck Sound at once.
Summer trips from Hampton Roads could be cut by as much as an hour.
``We'll have two lanes going into the beach on the old bridge; two lanes leaving on the new bridge. It'll be a smooth flow getting out of here now,'' said North Carolina Department of Transportation board member R.V. Owens III.
``We wanted to have both bridges open by Memorial Day. Now, we're sure they'll be ready.''
Located just north of the existing bridge between Point Harbor and Kitty Hawk, the new 2.8-mile span has been on the planning books for five years. More than 100 workers have been constructing the concrete-and-steel connector for more than 18 months. The total project cost is estimated at just under $20 million.
In 1994, an average of 12,800 cars crossed the two-lane Wright Memorial Bridge every day. Summer traffic counts swelled to a daily average of 24,000 vehicles. On Saturday, July 30, a total of 58,476 drivers used the span.
``We'd planned to have the new bridge finished and the old one rehabilitated by September 1995.But we really wanted extra traffic relief for this summer season. So we speeded things up a bit,'' Owens said. ``Now, we'll be able to keep all four lanes open all summer. When visitation drops off again in the fall, we'll shut that old span down and work on it then, leaving the new one open with one lane each way. Both bridges will be back in business again by next summer.''
Built 29 years ago for $3.3 million, the old bridge needs about $500,000 in repairs, said transportation department engineer Tommy Brite.
The new bridge is 4 feet taller and 12 feet wider than the existing one. It includes an 8-foot wide shoulder so stranded motorists will be able to pull off the traffic lanes, out of the way. Pilings are sunk as deep as 90 feet into the Currituck Sound's silty bottom.
``We got the bridge decked all the way across about two weeks ago. Concrete barriers are being poured this week. Metal rails will go in next week,'' Brite said Thursday. ``Weather really can't affect us too much, now. We're just trying to work on paving the approaches.''
Four lanes will lead onto both sides of the bridge. On the Outer Banks side, motorists may have to sit through as many as five stoplights before turning onto the U.S. Route 158 bypass or N.C. 12 beach road. Signals will be synchronized on timers, Brite said, to expedite traffic flow.
The new bridge contains more than 55,000 tons of concrete, 2,500 tons of steel and 74,000 feet of concrete girders. It sits in sound water about 9 feet deep. About 1,533 concrete pilings support the span.
``This new bridge should help for about two years,'' Owens predicted. ``Then, the traffic will catch up to its capacity again - and it'll be just as crowded as the old one. We really need a second bridge to the Outer Banks, at another location, to clear up all the beach-bound congestion.''
Transportation department officials say the new, two-lane span should last about 50 years.
Until 64 years ago, no span connected the Outer Banks with the Currituck County mainland. Visitors rode steamer ships or ferries to the beach. In 1930, a group of Elizabeth City investors financed a wooden draw span across the sound. Cars could cross for $1 each. The state paid $150,000 for that bridge in 1935 - and eliminated North Carolina's only toll road.
The new section of the Wright Memorial Bridge, as is the existing part of the span, is free to all travelers.
``We're just tickled to death it's getting done,'' Brite said. ``The additional span is something this area has needed for a long, long time.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by DREW C. WILSON, Staff
Easter traffic heads to the Outer Banks Friday on the old span of
the bridge, left. The two-lane addition will double traffic flow.
KEYWORDS: CURRITUCK SOUND BRIDGE by CNB