North Wilkesboro, NC

North Wilkesboro Speedway Pedestrian Bridge

Client: North Carolina Department of Transportation
Our Role: Design

A red single-span pedestrian bridge is located beside a vehicular bridge, both traversing over a busy roadway underneath.

With thousands of NASCAR fans visiting the North Wilkesboro Speedway, pedestrians faced the peril of crossing a four-lane freeway on a bridge without adequate safety measures. The challenge was urgent: design and construct a permanent, safe, and visually iconic pedestrian crossing before the 2025 NASCAR All-Star weekend — a race against time and logistical constraints. The project required GFT to balance public safety, design excellence, and accelerated delivery under national visibility and strict permitting timelines.

GFT transformed a high-risk pedestrian hazard into a model of innovation and collaboration. The team rapidly evaluated alternatives and advanced a single-span, prefabricated bowstring truss design, eliminating the need for center supports over live traffic and enabling off-site fabrication for faster, safer construction.

Through meticulous coordination with NCDOT Division 11, Wilkes County, and bridge fabricators, GFT delivered all roadway, structural, stormwater, and geotechnical design elements in just six months. This compressed a typical multi-year process into a single season.

The span was installed during a single overnight closure of U.S. 421 in April 2025 and opened on time for the May 2025 NASCAR All-Star weekend, transforming how fans, motorists, and the community experience the speedway.

Key Features

Single-span, prefabricated bowstring truss avoids center supports over live traffic.
Rapid off-site fabrication and nine-hour installation window minimized road closures.
16-foot clear width for large race-day crowds.
“Winston Cup red” architectural finish reinforces community identity.

Outcomes

Eliminated dangerous pedestrian–vehicle conflicts for up to 20,000 fans per event.
Completed in under six months, with installation achieved in a single nine-hour overnight closure.
Enabled the speedway to fully clear traffic in under 90 minutes after events.
Created a lasting symbol of pride and renewal, linking safety with cultural and economic vitality.
American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina, 2026, Engineering Excellence Awards, Grand Award for Transportation.