LELAND, NC — Folks in Leland aren’t shy about speaking up when something doesn’t sit right, and that’s exactly what happened this week. Town Council voted unanimously on September 24 to send a letter to federal leaders asking them to rethink the current plans for replacing the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.
Council members said the issue boils down to one thing: the federal clearance rule that says any new bridge has to stand 135 feet tall. That number comes from vessel traffic patterns that were studied back in the 1990s, when big commercial ships still moved up the river. These days, those ships don’t come through anymore, and most bridge lifts are for weekend boaters. Leland leaders say it doesn’t make much sense to design a massive, expensive bridge around traffic that no longer exists.
Their letter asks Congress to direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to run a Section 216 review, basically a fresh study to determine whether the 135‑foot requirement is still needed. If the standard changes, it could open the door to a smaller, cheaper bridge and reduce the chances of tolling.
Leland isn’t the only one raising the issue.
Wilmington and New Hanover County have already sent similar letters, all pointing to the same concern: the region may be locked into an oversized design because of outdated federal rules. With the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge serving as one of the most important connections between Brunswick and New Hanover counties, local leaders say it’s worth slowing down long enough to make sure the replacement fits today’s needs, not yesterday’s.
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