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| The Neuse River Bridge, which opened in 1999, is an important link across the Neuse River and also a major landmark in the area. At a cost of $120 million, it was the most expensive highway project in North Carolina at the time it was built. |
The $120 million construction project, consisting of a multi-lane, 10,000-foot-long, curved steel plate girder bridge including a three-level interchange with eight bridges, was a combination of three contracts awarded by the state Board of Transportation in October 1995.
On the east bank, BMCO Construction of Lumberton received the contract for the $13.3 million extension of U.S. 17 from Bridgeton to Sandy Point. On the west bank, T.A. Loving Co. of Goldsboro was awarded the contract for the $13.3 million in improvements to the twin-span Freedom Memorial Bridge that spans the Trent River. Traylor Brothers Co. of Evansville, Indiana received the $93 million contract for the bridge and the intricate cloverleaf exchange between U.S. 70 and U.S. 17.
STV/RWA was the lead engineering firm and management consultant for this NCDOT project that included conducting design-phase load testing and designing the bridge to withstand the impact of hurricane-force winds and ship impacts.
In 2001, the project won the National Partnership for Highway Quality Award for most outstanding highway bridge in the country. The American Society of Civil Engineers recognized the project as the sixth most significant engineering project in North Carolina’s history and in 2002, won an award for Excellence in Highway Design by the Federal Highway Administration.
It was a massive undertaking. Trucks carried in 25 million pounds of reinforced bars, and railroad cars transported 25.6 million pounds of structural steel bridge girders. Three hundred and forty 115 foot long precast concrete beams arrived at the site by water.
Additionally, hundreds of millions of dollars was infused into the local economy and hundreds of jobs were created during the four-year construction period.
Traylor Brothers alone, brought 30-plus employees with them, who in turn rented apartments/homes, hired household help, filled the hotels, purchased groceries and gas, shopped in our stores and ate in our restaurants. They also hired more than 250 people locally.
Local construction purchases of over $2.7 million included the purchase of 81,000 tons of sand, 85,000 tons of stone, one million feet of lumber and 35,000 tons of asphalt from area suppliers. North Carolina’s tax coffers realized $3.2 million in additional sales tax revenue.
Over the four years, Martin Marietta supplied more than 100,000 tons of dirt from its Rock Quarry in addition to 262,142 tons of marine limestone, and rock used in the concrete mixture and sand used for fill in the offramps and work on the embankments.
Subcontractors hired local labor and several companies provided the necessary repair work and replacement of machine parts when any of the heavy equipment broke down.
With the infusion of money, the city and county benefited from the economic boost whether they were directly or indirectly involved. Based on the $120 million the state spent on the project, the Chamber of Commerce estimated the economic impact to the local economy was approximately $450 million based on a three to five multiplier.
With major change, there is always a downside and such was the case with this project when several businesses and property owners were impacted with the right-of-way acquisition required for the extension of U.S. 17 from Bridgeton to Sandy Point and U.S. 70 in James City.
The original plan would have connected with U.S. 70 farther downriver and displaced 37 homes and 10 businesses. Meetings with Bridgeton area residents led to designing an alternate route through Sandy Point affected only four businesses on the Bridgeton side. Nelson’s Blueberry Farm lost 2.5 acres for right-of-way that included a bar named Taps. Annelieses’s Restaurant closed when 15 feet was taken for right-of-way; BridgePointe Harbor Subdivision lost 4.78 feet of its 25.25 acres for right-of-way and on the James City side, Adolph’s Auto Service relocated a mile down U.S. 70 due to right of way acquisition.
On Nov. 28, 1995, Governor Jim Hunt, along with a number of public officials, broke ground for the project behind the Ramada Inn (now the BridgePointe Hotel) stating, “The Bridge will change the face of New Bern.”
Four years later, Governor Hunt led the dedication on Nov. 6, a ceremony postponed from September due to hurricanes Dennis and Floyd. His comments included, “This Bridge is the regional solution to growing traffic problems and is one of the things that is going to help us leap over obstacles to growth and progress”.
Then-State Senator Beverly Perdue said, “All of us are here for a reason, to honor the water, the mighty Neuse River which demanded no less than a mighty and marvelous new bridge.
“Our state and federal government chose wisely in investing in the future of this area, in investing in us as a people, as a place of growth and as a place of opportunity — a new bridge for a new millennium; what could be more fitting?”
Fifteen years later, their comments still ring true.
Susan Moffat Thomas
Executive Director
