The North Carolina Department of Transportation, NCDOT, is offering only two options for the replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington, NC. The first is a lift bridge, similar to the existing bridge, that will rise from 65' vertical clearance to 135' vertical clearance. The second option is a fixed 135' vertical clearance bridge. Both are $Billion plus projects that require tolls. TOLLS ARE TAXES AND ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE! 

Currently estimated to cost between $1.2Billion and $1.3Billion and because there is more than $900 Million unfunded, tolls or some other tax is required. A TRI-COUNTY SALES TAX IS NO MORE ACCEPTABLE THAN TOLLS. Traffic studies have shown that Brunswick County residents will bear the brunt of the cost. The only options offered are fiscally irresponsible and result in significant financial harm to residents of Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender Counties. A new tax burden placed on businesses and working people is not acceptable. TELL RALEIGH NOT TO SUPPORT NEW LEGISLATION ALLOWING TOLLS ON THE CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE.

By far the worst option is the 135' vertical clearance fixed bridge. In addition to its enormous cost, this option will result in SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE. It will destroy wetlands in Brunswick County; wall off the south end of the city; forever damage both the Historic District and the entire community along Dawson, Wooster, Meares and Wright Streets; produce on-going and forever environmental damage with direct introduction of pollution and noise to the city; and adversely modify downtown traffic patterns resulting in horrific backups and delays on both the New Hanover County side and the Brunswick County side. Such a massive bridge will likely take 5/6/7 or more years to build and as a direct result of the traffic disruption, cause significant long lasting economic hardships to businesses throughout the entire construction period. 

On the other hand, the lift bridge option - by maintaining the existing right of way - will minimize traffic delays and mitigate the most adverse environmental impacts. Recent waterway traffic studies have demonstrated that most bridge openings have been for test purposes and may be scheduled during low use periods.

The "requirement" for a bridge with 135' vertical clearance is based on legislation from 1996, Wilmington Harbor 96 Act, and accompanying study wherein the implied "design vessel" size dictated the vertical clearance. The data from the 30 year old study has since been invalidated when NCDOT's 2024 Navigation Impact Report concluded that a 100' vertical clearance bridge would meet all current and future needs. New legislation is needed from Congress to replace the irrelevant and outdated study - unfortunately there appears to be no interest to do so. Spending several million dollars to save several hundred million dollars is not under consideration - pure madness! A third option, a 100' vertical clearance fixed bridge has been ruled out by NCDOT. That option would save hundreds of millions of dollars and likely not require tolls. Years from now the Replacement Cape Fear Memorial Bridge will be studied as a worst case scenario of failed public policy. 

Summary: (1) I do not support tolls or other taxes for the Replacement Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and do not support new legislation to allow tolls. And (2) I, due to ENVIRONMENTAL, TRAFFIC AND OTHER CONCERNS do not support a 135’ vertical clearance FIXED Bridge.