If you’ve ever visited the Outer Banks, a chain of barrier islands located off the coast of mainland North Carolina, then you’ve probably driven over the Wright Memorial Bridge.
The structure connects Point Harbor to Kitty Hawk and is the primary route most vacationers take when traveling to the islands.
Crossing over the Currituck Sound, the Wright Memorial Bridge spans a length of 14,867 feet, which equates to about 2.8 miles.
Part of US-158, the eastbound portion of the Wright Memorial Bridge opened in 1966, while the westbound part wasn't constructed until 1995.
Either way, two lanes allow many cars to exit and enter the islands on Saturday mornings during the summer.
If the Wright Memorial Bridge were ever to be damaged or destroyed, there would be severe consequences to the area's booming economy. Most local business owners rely solely on summer vacationers to keep their doors open and make a living.
Connecting Nags Head to Roanoke Island, the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge is the only other link between the islands to mainland North Carolina. Unfortunately, this bridge isn't used nearly as often as the Wright Memorial Bridge.
