Staff Pick: This is one of the news stories our staff is reading this week.
Work will last through the fall
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC - Work on the South Banks Channel Bridge in Wrightsville Beach could impact boaters for the next several months.
According to a news release from Wrightsville Beach and the NC Department of Transportation, from now through the fall, repairs to preserve the bridge are taking place seven days a week. During this period, the clearance between the bridge and water will be reduced, meaning most boaters will need to use an alternate route.
They may look harmless, but at high speed, the cables hanging down during construction from the South Banks Channel Bridge could post a serious danger to distracted boaters.
Sea Tow Captain Scott Collins said he noticed the three-quarter-inch cables Wednesday, during construction.
“So it’s necessary for what they’re doing,” Collins said, “but it just needs to be marked a little bit better. Especially at night. It’s quite dangerous.”
Collins took the warning to social media, alerting Sea Tow followers about the cables. Collins says though the cables are lit, the lights are pretty dim. He believes they might not be enough for unaware boaters at high speeds.
“After being on the water last night the cable is nearly invisible and the lights are also very dim be careful and pass this on,” Sea Tow wrote in a post on their Facebook page.