Governor Cooper Announces Game Changing Funding Grant for Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement in Wilmington

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced a major funding grant for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement project in Wilmington. The Governor was joined by Biden Administration Federal Highways Administrator Shailen Bhatt, North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins and Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo to highlight this major investment from the Biden-Harris Administration.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s Infrastructure Law continues to bring tangible benefits that help our state move forward,” said Governor Cooper. “This project is critical to Wilmington and all of southeastern North Carolina getting people and goods to and from work, school, healthcare, businesses and tourist attractions.”

News broke on Friday that the Biden-Harris Administration will award a $242 million grant to support the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement project in Wilmington. Funding for this grant gives this project an extraordinary boost toward completion and comes from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Bridge Investment Program-Large Bridge Project discretionary grant funded through the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents about half of the current estimated $485 million cost of the project.

“The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is an essential connection between Wilmington and the world, not only for residents and visitors but also the resilience of America’s supply chain and national security,” said Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo. “Today’s historic announcement of $242 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law toward replacing this bridge was only made possible through the shared commitment of federal, state, and local leaders. Securing a fully funded bridge replacement remains a top priority for the City of Wilmington and our MPO. I have great confidence in our community, our elected representatives, and our state and federal administrations to build on this investment and deliver a vital piece of transportation infrastructure for generations to come.”

“Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program, we are reinvesting in our infrastructure and ensuring vital connections for Americans who need to get to a job, a class, or a doctor,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “These grants are helping to advance critical bridge projects across the nation that will improve overall quality of life and ensure this country’s infrastructure works for everyone.”

“This grant signifies our federal partners understand the challenges we face with continual and increasing maintenance costs of this aging structure that connects communities and carries trucks that transport freight to and from the Port of Wilmington and the need to respond to the tremendous growth this region is experiencing,” said North Carolina Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins.

Built in 1969, the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is a 3,000-foot-long steel vertical-lift bridge that carries U.S. 17/U.S. 76 /U.S. 421 over the Cape Fear River and connects Brunswick and New Hanover counties. The new structure is proposed to be a high-rise, fixed-span bridge.

The bridge is currently safe and in fair condition in the wake of a major rehabilitation project completed in spring of 2024. However, its design is not up to modern standards. It costs about $500,000 per year to maintain and operate the moveable span structure, which carries more than 70,000 cars and trucks across the river each day and is projected to carry nearly 100,000 vehicles by 2050.