Castle Hayne Road Bridge

Information and Findings From North Carolina's Historic Bridge Inventory

Discussion of Bridge

The State Highway Commission designed this through truss, center-bearing, swing-span bridge in 1930 and contractor T.A. Loving & Company of Goldsboro completed its construction in December of the following year. Although largely supplanted by a modern highway to the east, it continues to carry Castle Hayne Road (Old NC 133) over Smith Creek into northern Wilmington and remains one of the earliest and most complete examples of its type in the state. Its operator house and controls have been replaced, but it retains its original gearing and mechanical systems, and essentially operates as it did when originally built. On notice of 24 hours, its swing span is put into motion.

A swing-span bridge rotates in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis into a position parallel with the marine channel and shore. This allows vessels to pass along a waterway that would otherwise be obstructed by the bridge. This bridge utilizes the most common of the two movable-span technologies: it is center-bearing and therefore rotates around a central pivot pier set in the waterway. This swing-span design is lighter and more easily operable than the rim-bearing alternative.

Swing-span bridges can be built with different types of substructures. The central swinging span of this structure is a 173-foot-long, eight-panel, riveted Warren through truss. With its two northern tee beam approach spans, the bridge's total length is 248 feet. The truss has built-up chords of channels with cover plates or lacing. The verticals and some of the diagonals are rolled sections, which is an original detail. Due to impact damage from over-height trucks on several occasions, the bridge's portal bracing and some of the upper laterals have been replaced in kind. The state also replaced its deck and stringers in 1962 and strengthened its floorbeams with welded beams in 1982. The essentials of its type, however, remain intact.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes