Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Image from the bridge | |
| Coordinates | 35°53′13″N 75°43′57″W / 35.887°N 75.73245°W |
| Carries |   US 64 Byp. |
| Crosses | Croatan Sound |
| Locale | Dare County |
| Named for | Virginia Dare |
| Owner | NCDOT |
| Maintained by | NCDOT |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Segmented girder |
| Material | Prestressed concrete |
| Total length | 27,581.4 feet (8,406.8 m) |
| Width | 67.6 feet (20.6 m) |
| Clearance below | 65.9 feet (20.1 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Balfour Beatty Construction |
| Construction cost | $90 million |
| Opened | August 16, 2002 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 4,000 (as of 2010) |
| Location | |
 | |
| References | |
| [1][2] | |
The Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge is a four-lane automobile bridge in Dare County, North Carolina, spanning the Croatan Sound between Manns Harbor and Roanoke Island. The bridge carries US 64 Bypass and is utilized by local and seasonal tourist traffic.
The bridge is dedicated to the memory of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas, in 1587.
At a length of 5.2 miles (8.4 km), the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge is the longest in the state. It travels over .75 miles (1.2 km) of wetlands, with the remaining 4.45 miles (7.2 km) over the Croatan Sound. The bridge rises to 65 feet (20 m) at its apex and is supported by 88 concrete columns and more than 2,000 pilings, which extend 100 feet (30 m) below the water. The bridge deck has 7,250 tons of epoxy-coated reinforcement steel and was designed with a 100-year life span.[3][4]
The bridge complements and runs parallel to the older William B. Umstead Bridge, which carries US 64 between Manns Harbor and Manteo and is located farther north. The bridge is the westernmost in a series of three, along with the Washington Baum Bridge and Melvin R. Daniels Bridge, connecting the North Carolina mainland with the Outer Banks communities via US 64 and US 64 Bypass.
- ^ "US64/US264 over Croatan Sound". Uglybridges.com. Retrieved April 21, 2014.[dead link]
- ^ Baughn, James; et al. "Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. Historic Bridge Foundation. Retrieved 2013-06-09.[dead link]
- ^ "Secretary Lyndo Tippett – 2002 Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge Dedication Ceremony" (Press release). North Carolina Department of Transportation. August 16, 2002. Retrieved June 21, 2015.[dead link]
- ^ Randy Midgett and Don Barber (May 16, 2003). "The perfect dare". Roads & Bridges. Retrieved June 21, 2015.