NC 130 Shallotte River Bridge

Known by the state as Brunswick County Bridge No. 48

In the 1930s the designers of North Carolina's highway bridges figured out that a deck with nine-foot lanes, with car doors squeezed up against the railing, was unacceptable for the rise of the automobile (I wonder was it was like to meet a truck on a 1920s bridge at night?) This particular bridge, built in 1937, is representative of this realization. It features lanes about 12 feet wide, basically the modern standard. This has allowed it to remain in use virtually unaltered into the 21st century.

Design-wise this bridge is similar to its 1920s predecessors. It uses the concrete tee-beam design, meaning that the beams underneath were cast with the deck as one piece. The pier has a similar shape to those on 1920s bridges, though it is wider of course. The railings are of the design found on virtually all extant 1930s concrete bridges in NC. The openings in these are arched, while the ends are solid and "flare out." It is a more subdued style than the 1950s design that it no doubt influenced.

The plaque on this bridge states that it was built using federal aid. Considering the time period, it is likely that this was built using funds that were made available with the New Deal. The plaque does not state whether it was built by a program such as the Works Progress Administration. In any case, this bridge is an attractive example of a 1930s tee-beam bridge, as it located on a curve and crosses a scenic river.

Facts

• Year built: 1937
• Route Carried: NC 130
• Crosses: Shallotte River
• Location: Shallotte, Brunswick County, NC
• Design: Two-span concrete tee-beam
• Span length: 49.9 ft. Total length: 100.1 ft.
• Inside width: 24 ft., two lanes
• Sufficiency Rating: 48.4 out of 100
• National Bridge Inventory ID: 190048
• Coordinates: 33°58'10.41"N, 78°23'39.01"W

Pictures

• The plaque

• A black and white shot of the downstream side of the bridge. The railings on this side have a lot of new concrete on them.

• Deck shot of the bridge. A glaring sun messed this one up unfortunately.