The Star-News today reported on the desire by some to restructure the lanes of the Snow's Cut bridge connecting Wilmington with Carolina Beach and Pleasure Island to accommodate bikers and pedestrians with greater safety.
Currently, the bridge has a 3-foot sidewalk for pedestrians and a 2-foot paved shoulder. Groups including the New Hanover County Commissioners and officials from Carolina Beach and Kure Beach asked the N.C. Department of Transportation to investigate what could be done to make crossing the bridge by foot or bike a safer experience.
It turns out that any changes made to widen the pedestrian and bike lanes would make the lanes for car traffic less safe. It would push the oncoming lanes too close together which wouldn't meet bridge standards requiring 4-foot paved shoulders. It would also be an expensive modification project, costing as much as $2 million.
Two alternatives to modifying the current bridge would be to build a separate pedestrian and bike bridge or to replace the existing deck on the Snow's Cut Bridge - both which are currently too expensive to consider further.
It is possible for the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization to set this bridge modification project as a priority, in which case the N.C. DOT would investigate the matter further.
To read the full article, please visit:
www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090813/ARTICLES/908134007/1004
Have you tried to cross the Snow's Cut Bridge on bike or foot? What was your experience like? We invite you to comment and let us know what you think about the current bridge and its capacity for handling bikers and pedestrians.
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