DARE COUNTY, N.C. — It's no secret that the Outer Banks is a barrier island only accessible by bridges. For people coming from the west, work will soon begin to replace the Lindsay C. Warren Bridge, also known as the Alligator River Bridge.
“My concern about that was, like, on the way home or going to work, they would have a lot of issues about getting the bridge open," said La'Mon Spencer, who has lived in Columbia his entire life.
La'Mon Spencer used to drive over the Alligator River Bridge to work in the Outer Banks almost every day.
Previous coverage: Major upgrade closer for Alligator River Bridge in Outer Banks
“I was going almost five, six days out of the week, and that was over a course of eight, nine years, back and forth," said Spencer.
The North Carolina Board of Transportation has approved and awarded a $450 million contract, with help from $110 million in grant money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to build a brand-new bridge expected to be open to traffic by the fall of 2029. The contract was awarded to Skanska USA.
“Hearing that they're going to try to, at least, you know, replace it, that's a great deal of relief," said Spencer.
NCDOT, in its release, said, "The current bridge, completed in 1960, is the main route to access the Outer Banks from the west and a critical hurricane evacuation route. The aging swing span is maintained regularly but is prone to occasional mechanical failures, which force motorists onto a 99-mile detour."
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Spencer has been in a position over the years where he needed to use that detour.
“That's an hour and a half maybe out of the way. It sucks when you're really, like, 10 minutes from home and have to go back around," said Spencer.
The new bridge will not only help drivers but also the boat traffic. NCDOT stated in its release that the bridge currently has more than 4,000 boats passing through the swing span every year.
In the coming weeks, crews will begin the initial steps, such as driving bridge pilings, for the eventual two-lane fixed-span bridge sitting just north of where the Lindsay C. Warren Bridge is now. As stated above, it is expected to open to drivers by the fall of 2029, with demolition of the current bridge to begin in the spring of 2030.
