The N.C. Department of Transportation identified three proposed alternatives for the replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington outlined in the Environmental Assessment.
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Alternative A is a bridge with a movable span with a proposed 65-135-foot vertical clearance.
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Alternative B is a fixed span bridge with a 135-foot vertical clearance and trumpet interchange improvements (allows for interchange of secondary two-way streets to a multi-lane roadway with minimal traffic congestion). Alternative B will allow ships to pass underneath without any interruption to vehicular traffic on the bridge.
Each alternative includes the following:
- Three 12-foot lanes in each direction separated by a 22-foot median, including 11-foot inside shoulders
- 15-foot multi-use path on the north side of the bridge
- 12-foot outside paved shoulders
Each alternative would change the eastern loop ramps at South Front Street to tie into Wooster and Dawson streets in downtown Wilmington.
Across the river, the bridging of Eagle Island wetlands would extend to the U.S. 17/U.S. 76/U.S. 421 interchange, with possible ramp modifications to the interchange with alternative B.
The proposed maximum speed limit is 50 mph.