NCDOT crews finish construction of second US 421 bridge at New Hanover-Pender line
By WECT Staff | June 4, 2020 at 10:07 AM EDT – Updated June 4 at 11:25 AM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Crews with the N.C. Department of Transportation have completed the construction of two bridges on U.S. 421 at the New Hanover-Pender county line that replaces the roadway that was washed out due to Hurricane Florence.
More than 500 feet of roadway was destroyed by floodwaters that crested nearly a week after Florence swept through the area. DOT leaders said this section of U.S. 421 suffered the worst degree of washout in the state.
Instead of replacing the culvert underneath the highway, DOT engineers opted for a more permanent solution by building two two-lane bridges over Fishing Creek. Significantly more water can now pass underneath the bridges, making them more resilient during future storms.
The bridges fully reopened to traffic Wednesday afternoon, DOT officials said.
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