Yadkin River Bridges
Encyclopedia
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.
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. 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. 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. The state and federal departments of transportation approved the plan July 6.
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. By October 9, 20 acres had been cleared after approximately a week. To build the actual bridge, crews spent five months building a half-mile long, 38-foot wide temporary steel
bridge for workers and equipment.
State representative
Fred Steen plans to introduce legislation to call the I-85 bridge the Yadkin River Veterans Memorial Bridge.
At the end of September 2011, concrete for the bridge surface was being poured and new lanes for I-85 were being paved south of the bridge.
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, 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. 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, "a regional historical artifact" to become part of a planned greenway
system. 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, which did not want the bridge. Tourist attractions in the area included Trading Ford and the former site of the Civil War
fort Camp Yadkin.
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.
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. The work was under way as of February 2011.
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.
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.
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.
Yadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
between Rowan
Rowan County, North Carolina
-Demographics and economics:As of the census of 2010, there were 138,428 people, 53,140 households, and 37,058 families residing in the county. The population density was 270.7 people per square mile . There were 60,211 housing units at an average density of 117.7 per square mile...
and Davidson
Davidson County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 149,331 people, 58,156 households, and 42,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 267 people per square mile . There were 62,432 housing units at an average density of 113 per square mile...
Counties near Spencer, North Carolina
Spencer, North Carolina
Spencer is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States, incorporated in 1905. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,355.-History:...
, USA. Separated by less than 1000 feet (300 m), the crossings consist of a bridge carrying Interstate 85
Interstate 85
Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
/ U.S. Highway 52, two bridges carrying the Norfolk Southern Railroad
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
, and two bridges carrying U.S. Highway 29 / U.S. Highway 70 / NC 150.
Interstate 85 bridge
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 CharlotteCHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
and Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
(and between the larger metropolitan areas of Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; 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
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery is a supplementary discretionary grant program included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009...
money. As of 2010, the bridge carries over 70,000 vehicles every day.
The funding for the $180 million design-build
Design-Build
Design-build is a project delivery system used in the construction industry. It is a method to deliver a project in which the design and construction services are contracted by a single entity known as the design–builder or design–build contractor...
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
GARVEE
Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle, or GARVEE, is a type of bond or similar financing method issued by a state or state infrastructure bank under the guidelines of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, eventually made permanent in section 122 of Title 23 of the United States Code....
bonds to be repaid over 12 years. 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
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
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. The state and federal departments of transportation approved the plan July 6.
On September 29, 2010, state and local officials held a groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony on the Davidson County side of the project. Work on the project was scheduled to start the next day. By October 9, 20 acres had been cleared after approximately a week. To build the actual bridge, crews spent five months building a half-mile long, 38-foot wide temporary steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
bridge for workers and equipment.
State representative
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
Fred Steen plans to introduce legislation to call the I-85 bridge the Yadkin River Veterans Memorial Bridge.
At the end of September 2011, concrete for the bridge surface was being poured and new lanes for I-85 were being paved south of the bridge.
Wil-Cox Bridge
The Wil-Cox Bridge is a concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
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, 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
High Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. As of 2010 the city had a total population of 104,371, according to the US Census Bureau. High Point is currently the eighth-largest municipality in North Carolina....
, is one of only six of its type left in the state. 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
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
bridge, "a regional historical artifact" to become part of a planned greenway
Greenway (landscape)
A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle user traffic, and sometimes for streetcar, light rail or retail uses.- Terminology :...
system. 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, which did not want the bridge. Tourist attractions in the area included Trading Ford and the former site of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
fort Camp Yadkin.
On April 8, 2010, the N.C. DOT
North Carolina Department of Transportation
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is responsible for building, repairing, and operating highways, bridges, and other modes of transportation, including ferries in the U.S. state of North Carolina.-History:...
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.
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. The work was under way as of February 2011.
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.
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.
Other bridges
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.