Construction is well underway of the high-rise bridge which will replace the iconic Surf City Swing Bridge which opened in 1955. Many locals and tourists have made suggestions as to what should happen to this 255 foot landmark, but this is what is going to happen to it.
The $54 million NC DOT contract, which was awarded to Balfour Beatty stipulates that the contractor is responsible for removing and disposing of the current structure. Trevor Carroll, the resident engineer for the DOT, said they looked into many options for what to do with the Swing Bridge. But ultimately, the structure is the responsibility of the winning contractor, Balfour Beatty. As of last week, Local Operations Manager for Balfour Beatty, Jay Boyd, says the plan is to recycle all components of the Swing Bridge, including the wooden fender system, concrete, as well as the structural steel.
This removal and recycling will happen shortly after the new bridge is open. When will that happen? See this post for the incentive details to complete the new bridge much earlier than expected.
Boyd pointed out that there is a very short window to remove the Swing Bridge if the new bridge is completed at the end of 2018 or early part of 2019. They are restricted as to when the water can be disturbed. This is due to protecting the water bottom for spawning animals for six months from April through the end of September.
In short, if the new bridge is completed late 2018 or early 2019, the Swing Bridge could be completely gone by March 31, 2019.
Do you want to preserve a memory of the Swing Bridge? Look here at beautiful artwork of the bridge by Jeff Wenzel.
Jeff Wenzel can be reached at JeffWenzel@gmail.com | (910) 803-1SKY | www.AboveTopsail.com
Jeff Wenzel is a local artist who enjoys creating unique artwork in the Topsail, NC area. His mission is to capture the beauty of God’s creation along with the handiwork of man’s God-given talents. Jeff owns and operates Above Topsail which provides custom photo and video services to individuals and businesses. His artwork can be seen on Facebook or AboveTopsail.com