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An old drawbridge over the Cape Fear River was found to have cracked locks, posing a risk of catastrophic failure.

The opening of its replacement, the S. Thomas Rhodes Bridge, was expedited and occurred on Oct. 13, 1984.

The new bridge was named for Samuel Thomas Rhodes, who represented New Hanover County in the N.C. House.

The original 1929 drawbridge was closed to traffic and ultimately demolished in 1985.

An old drawbridge was in danger of a catastrophic failure before work finished on a replacement bridge.

According to an article in the Oct. 12, 1984, Wilmington Morning Star, the opening of a new bridge over the Cape Fear River along U.S. 421 was pushed up by two weeks because of cracks in the locks of the old drawbridge.

One of the four locks that held it

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