The Alligator River Bridge in Tyrrell and Dare counties is once again open to traffic. The U.S. Highway 64 swing bridge was reopened to traffic late Sunday evening after being closed for the better part of two weeks. The Alligator River bridge is a major connection between the Outer Banks and mainland North Carolina.
A key part used to keep the bridge closed and support the weight of vehicular traffic called a wedge guide broke during repairs. It was originally feared that the part would have to be custom made thus delaying the re-opening. But maintenance crews were able to get a replacement part to repair the damage and open the bridge at 11:45 Sunday night.
State DOT officials say the bridge opens an average of 500 times each month. They say due to that rate of usage, the mechanical components of the bridge were worn and needed to be replaced.
