Neuse River Bridge: A once-in-a-lifetime project

The Neuse River Bridge
Photo by Bill Hand/Sun Journal Staff

Since the mid-1970s, vision, achievable goals, partnerships, commitment, and hard work by the public and private sector were key to the downtown’s renaissance — and the state-of-the art Neuse River Bridge.

Opened to traffic in November 1999, the U.S. 17/N.C. 55 intricate system of roadway, ramps and bridges crossing the Trent and Neuse rivers was North Carolina’s largest single highway contract at that time. It is a project that was/is critical to the growth and economic development of Eastern North Carolina.

Historically, in Eastern North Carolina, ferry transportation was relied on as the cost of building bridges was financially burdensome. By the late 1800s, the inconvenience of ferries led to the county borrowing $35,000 to construct a Neuse River Bridge from New Bern to Bridgeton that opened in 1898.

In the 1940s, the ever increasing number of cars and trucks intensified N.C. 55/U.S. 17 traffic on the Neuse Boulevard/Broad Street corridor through downtown, led to the widening of Board Street and construction of a new Neuse River Bridge at the foot of Broad Street to Bridgeton in the early 1950s.

By the 1980s, it was a common sight to see cars lined up bumper to bumper on Broad and East Front streets as the swing span bridges over the two rivers opened to let boats through. Even though a boat could clear the span with the bridge rotating back in place in 10 minutes, it took 30-40 minutes for the traffic jam to clear. If the drawbridge opened at 5 in the afternoon, traffic backed up for miles. Major traffic problems were expected to intensify in the coming decade.

Its impact on the downtown revitalization effort led to Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp.’s active involvement in pursuing the bridge’s replacement.

At the April 1988 Swiss Bear Board meeting, County Manager Tyler Harris reported both the Trent and Neuse River bridges were eligible for replacement and at a recent NCDOT presentation three options were being considered. The first, a New Bern Bypass, carrying traffic far outside New Bern; the second, construction of a high rise bridge to extend from Bridgeton to the vicinity of Hatteras Yachts. The last was the possible construction of a high-rise bridge from Sandy Point to James City and closure of the two existing drawbridges.

Harris said, prior to that meeting, representatives from the county, City Manager Bill Hartman and a 12-member committee met with NCDOT representatives to ensure any plans for improvements to existing and new roadways would be geared to improving local traffic as opposed to through traffic. The committee felt the last option for a new bridge system would best serve the needs of the community.

In discussion, downtown merchant, Lou Steinberg agreed improvements to our existing bridge and road system were necessary; however, the downtown merchants would miss earnings from traffic now forced through the downtown if the bypass option was selected. Jimmy Chagaris felt downtown would become more tourist-oriented in the future and sales would come from this new group of people. John Phillips said traffic congestion was already hurting downtown businesses and he favored plans that would improve traffic flow through New Bern.

Tyler Harris noted if the bridge replacement project received funding from the Federal Bridge Replacement Act, the two existing bridges would be removed. Bill Hartman said the bridge and road improvements were a necessary risk and offered the opportunity for developing park areas where the old bridges were, giving citizens and visitors additional access to the water.

During the same year, 2001 Craven County – Previewing the Future, a two-year strategic planning effort initiated by the Chamber of Commerce in 1987, determined a vital key to the future development of the county was the locations and timely construction of a new Neuse River Bridge and U.S. Highway Bypass. Those working on the 2001 Committee saw an opportunity for local citizens to have a significant impact on decisions concerning the two projects as important NCDOT hearings were scheduled and critical time would pass before such an opportunity arose again.

In 1989, at the Swiss Bear October Board meeting, Representative Gerald Anderson noted federal discretionary funds could be used for the bridge project and with the right people working on this bridge project, it could begin in three years with monies coming from the state and federal government.

Responding to the opportunity, the Craven County Transportation Committee, chaired by Troy Smith, was expanded to include Pamlico and Jones counties. Committee representatives included the Craven County Commissioner’s Chairmen and Vice Chairmen, Harold Talton, Roy Brison, Sr., Nolan Jones, Albert Toon; Mayors Tom Bayliss and George Griffin; County Managers, Harold Blizzard, Larry Meadows, Randy Beaman; City Manager, Bill Hartman and Havelock Clerk, Kathleen Townsend. Representatives Scott Thomas and William Wainwright, Sen. Beverly Perdue, NCDOT Division II Board, Bob Mattock; Joe Thomas, Lonnie Pridgen, Michael Avery, Dallas Blackiston, Don Baumgardner, Jim Davis, Billy Haire, Lauren Hillman. Division Engineer, Rick Shirley (replaced later by Neil Lassiter) and Susan Moffat Thomas, all representing and providing liaison with the governments of the smaller towns, chambers of commerce, civic groups and state legislators. A united front by all three counties was crucial to the effort.

Nancy Stallings, a former NCDOT Assistant Secretary, was hired as the Transportation Coordinator and operated out of the Swiss Bear office. Her challenge was to work with the Committee and NCDOT to build a bridge in an appropriate location and most challenging of all, bring everyone in the three counties together as it was politically important to have a strong unified show of support for a new bridge.

An immediate need was getting the Neuse River Replacement project listed in the N.C. Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). Congress’ passage of the Surface Transportation Act changed the method of funding bridges. Prior to that, Committee plans were to obtain funds for the new bridge from federal discretionary funds and now funding would be provided through the state with a funding amount placed at $70 million.

The primary concern was NCDOT spent its highway funding on projects contained in the TIP, a plan that was updated every year with highway improvement projects planned for the next seven years. Projects not listed in the plan would not be considered. The Transportation Committee also recognized the project could ultimately cost a $100 million so federal financial assistance was needed as the plan was to lobby for a project that would exceed the standard bridge replacement concept of bridge replacement and reasonable approaches only. The desired project would be a part of a bypass of New Bern and would exceed the funding allowed by Federal Bridge Replacement criteria.

In February 1992, a resolution requesting that NCDOT include the Neuse River Bridge Replacement Project was signed by all members of the Craven, Pamlico, and Jones Transportation Committee. Thomas Harrelson, Secretary, NCDOT, State Reps. Gerald Anderson and William Wainwright, Sen. Beverly Perdue, Congressmen Martin Lancaster and Walter B. Jones, Senator’s Terry Sanford and Jesse Helms were inundated with letters and a resolution from all counties, cities and organizations involved.

As a follow up, Nancy Stallings traveled to Washington and met with Congressman Walter B. Jones and Senator Terry Sanford seeking ways federal dollars could be secured for this project.

To be continued in two weeks.

Susan Moffat Thomas is executive director of Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corp.