MANTEO, N.C. — Whether you live in or visit the Outer Banks, the Washington Baum Bridge—or as many know it, the Roanoke Sound Bridge—is something many have driven over to or from Manteo for decades.
“This particular bridge was open to traffic in 1992; it was over 30 years old," said Pablo Hernandez, resident engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
For the last three years, and during its second full offseason, the bridge went from four lanes to two as NCDOT crews worked to preserve it and make the drive over it a little smoother.
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“One of the items that was addressed on this particular bridge was some of the bumps. Not only does it affect the drivers' experience driving across that bridge, but it also imposes extra load and forces on the bridge that we just don't need to have. So, to alleviate that damage, one of the items was to remove the bumps, which entailed removing a portion of the concrete road surface and then placing back a new roadway concrete surface," said Hernandez.
The work is not only on top, but also reinforces the strength underneath.
“The other component that the bridge preservation project identified was doing concrete repair underneath the structure. We can extend the life of the steel in the bridge as well as the concrete. This has been a three-year endeavor," said Hernandez.
One particular positive aspect of all the work is that the expectation is for it to be finished ahead of schedule.
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“The overall contract completion is September of this year, so we're that much more anxious to wrap this project up," said Hernandez.
Though residents we spoke with say it is an inconvenience, they are happy it’s being done before the busy tourist season. This work will extend the bridge’s lifespan by decades.
“Making that investment right now, while it entails some hardships for the community, will prolong the life of this structure for another 20 to 30 years so we will not have to impose those hardships on them," said Hernandez.
Drivers can expect a number of traffic pattern shifts along the route in the coming weeks. As long as everything goes according to plan, the expectation is for the bridge to reopen to four-lane traffic by March or April.
