Yadkin River Veteran Memorial Bridge

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  • Dec 17, 2014

In 2013, NCDOT opened the new I-85 Yadkin River Veterans Memorial Bridges, which replaces the original bridge built in 1955. The new bridge, consisting of eight bents and nine spans, was built using top-down construction that eliminated the need for a temporary work bridge and reduces the impact to the environment. Epoxy-coated reinforcing steel was used in the deck of this structure.

Although the original bridge proved to be durable throughout its lifespan, engineers with the North Carolina Department of Transportation found the old span “functionally obsolete.” The original bridge had four lanes and no shoulders while the new bridges have four lanes in each direction and shoulders for broken down vehicles.

The new bridges used 76,000 tons of concrete and 3,600 tons of uncoated and epoxy-coated reinforced steel. The construction costs were approximately $136 million for both bridges, as well as the cost of an adjacent bridge for U.S. 29.