NC Gov. Bev Perdue (D) Attends Yadkin River Bridge Groundbreaking

LEXINGTON, N.C. (WGHP) - Calling it among her top priorities when taking office, Gov. Bev Perdue helped kick off the new Yadkin River Bridge project on Interstate 85 Wednesday morning.

Perdue joined other state and local officials in the groundbreaking ceremony, which took place around 10 a.m. Wednesday.

"I don't believe that we could afford to have a bridge like the Yadkin River Bridge fall apart on our watch," Perdue said. "I wasn't going to let it happen on my watch."

The existing Yakdin River bridge is 55 years old and carries only two lanes in each direction. AAA Carolinas rated the highway bridge as "structurally deficient" and "functionally obsolete."

"I think it's one of the most dangerous (bridges) in America, and I wasn't going to just stand around and see this bridge and this I-85 corridor go without for another decade or two decades," Perdue said.

The bridge construction is the first phase of a project to widen and improve I-85 in Rowan and Davidson counties. The new bridge is slated to be completed by 2013.

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