Innovative Test Pile Project Paves Way for New Alligator River Bridge
COLUMBIA – Recent engineering efforts have culminated in the successful completion of a test pile project in the Alligator River, strategically positioned between Tyrrell and Dare counties. This initiative involved the installation of 11 hefty concrete test piles at varying depths within the riverbed.
The primary purpose of these test piles is to gather crucial data about the soil composition, including the consistency and stratification of the riverbed. This information is vital for engineers as they embark on designing a replacement for the current 64-year-old Alligator River Bridge located on U.S. 64.
Pablo Hernandez, a Resident Engineer from the N.C. Department of Transportation, highlighted the importance of this project, stating, “The soil samples and field data we collected during the test pile project will help us make revisions that determine the final construction design of the bridge structure.”
Though the test piles are temporarily in place, they will be extracted once the actual bridge construction begins.
The upcoming bridge is set to replace the outdated swing-span structure with a state-of-the-art two-lane, fixed-span, high-rise bridge. This new bridge will be situated slightly north of the existing one and will feature two 12-foot travel lanes accompanied by 8-foot shoulders.
Construction for this significant infrastructure project is slated to commence either in late 2024 or at the onset of 2025.
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