The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) in the USA has received an unsolicited proposal from private company to replace the decaying Cape Fear Memorial bridge located in Wilmington. The bridge was built in 1969 and connects New Hanover and Brunswick counties.

The proposal includes the replacement of the current structure with a 135-foot high rise structure with a multi-use path. The company will fully finance the development project and will toll the users of the bridge for a concession period of 50 years. The estimated investment required for the bridge is about US$245.7 million. The new bridge structure will be designed to last 75 to 100 years.

The bridge is expected to have 26% more traffic by 2045 with 81,900 vehicles traveling daily through the bridge. Currently, the old structure requires maintenance and repair works every 10 to 15 years for its fixed and movable spans.