Wright Bridge westbound span to reopen by end of next week

By Sam Walker on May 6, 2015   OBXVoice The resurfacing project that has stretched over the last two off-seasons on the westbound Wright Memorial Bridge will be finished next week. “Right now everything is still on schedule for (the) bridge to be completely done and open by May 15,” according to N.C. Department of Transportation spokesperson Jennifer Heiss. Workers returned in early March and started pouring the latex-modified concrete overlay onto the remaining sections after work was suspended in late-December by harsh winter weather. The special mixture could only be applied when temperatures were between 50 and 85 degrees, surface temperatures were between 40 and 85 degrees and wind speeds were no more than 10 mph. There are a total of 249 expansion joints on the bridge, one located on top of each bent, which is the combination of pilings that supports the bridge spans. The joints help allow the spans of the bridge to expand and contract with the weather. “Crews are still working on the joints and have been cleaning those areas before they work on them,” Heiss said.    COMPETE STORY