By: Robert G. Hester
Two aging bridges on Tar Heel Ferry Road over the Cape Fear River near Tar Heel are being replaced and construction has been underway for nearly 2 years. Construction is expected to be completed near the end of 2015..An $11.8 million contract was awarded to Carolina Bridge, Co, Inc. of Orangeburg, S.C. in the spring of 2013 by the N.C. Department of Transportation.
The bridges are being built outside the existing bridges, so no detours are needed.
The bridges being replaced were built in 1955 and are considered functionally obsolete, meaning they were built to design standards that are out-of-date. One of the bridges is a truss bridge that is listed as structurally deficient,which means it is safe, but requires more extensive maintenance. 
At the time of the awarding of the contract, a NCDOT engineer said, “the bridges support a critical crossing of the Cape Fear River in this area of Bladen County. This important investment in our transportation infrastructure will bring better mobility for residents and businesses.”
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