COLUMBIA – A test pile project in the Alligator River between Tyrrell and Dare counties was completed earlier this month, with 11 large concrete test piles driven into the riverbed at various depths.
The test piles, large posts that are typically used as a foundation for a structure such as a bridge, will help engineers learn about soil layers and depths and soil consistency in the riverbed as they design a replacement for the 64-year-old Alligator River Bridge on U.S. 64.
“The soil samples and field data we collected during the test pile project will help us make revisions that determine the final construction design of the bridge structure”, said N.C. Department of Transportation Resident Engineer Pablo Hernandez.
The test piles will be removed once the bridge construction project is underway.
The new Alligator River bridge will replace the existing swing-span bridge with a modern two-lane, fixed-span, high-rise bridge on a new location just north of the current bridge. The new bridge will include two 12-foot travel lanes with 8-foot shoulders.
Construction on the project is expected to begin in late 2024 or early 2025.