Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Wilmington’s Third Street Bridge could be getting some colorful upgrades

A depiction of the Third Street Bridge with the color changing lights affixed (Port City Daily photo/COURTESY CITY OF WILMINGTON)
A depiction of the Third Street Bridge with the color changing lights affixed (Port City Daily photo/COURTESY CITY OF WILMINGTON)

WILMINGTON — The Third Street Bridge could be getting a new look if Wilmington’s City Council approves a resolution allowing the installation of color changing lights on the bridge.

According to City Manager Sterling Cheatham, in 2013 the city completed the North Third Street Streetscape Project, which addressed traffic flow improvements, utilities, as well as streetscape aesthetics. The project did not include the section of Third Street between Hanover and Campbell Streets, since the city was expecting a bridge replacement project to take place.

In April of 2015, the bridge replacement project began and in June of the following year, it was opened to traffic.

“The new bridge was designed to incorporate aesthetic features from the North 3rd Street Streetscape project to include: church rail, ornamental street lighting, granite curbing at the intersections, black pedestrian fencing, 8-foot 6-inch sidewalks on each side of the bridge, Street Print XD, and brick pavers. The City’s adopted FY 2014-15 budget included $350,000 for these enhancements. However, staff was able to negotiate with NCDOT for them to incorporate these betterments into the project at a cost borne by NCDOT,” Cheatham wrote in the City Council’s agenda.

The new color changing lights will be attached to the bridge as well as located on the existing poles. The cost estimates range from $50,000 – $275,000. Once the resolution is approved, the city will have to submit the project for a bidding process to implement the project, then the bids will have to be returned to council for final approval.

Cheatham said there is enough funding existing in the North Third Street Bridge Project Budget. City Council will vote on approving the resolution on Nov. 8 during its regular scheduled meeting.

There is no set timeline for completion of the project, but city Spokesman Dylan Lee said it was reasonable to believe it would be complete within a year.


Michael Praats can be reached at Michael.p@localvoicemedia.com

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