NCDOT to honor fallen Greensboro officer with bridge dedication

COLFAX, N.C. (WTVD) -- A bridge in Guilford County will soon carry the name of a Greensboro police officer who was killed in the line of duty.

The N.C. Department of Transportation will dedicate the Sgt. Dale Nix Bridge on Sunday, May 4, honoring the late Sgt. Philip "Dale" Nix. The bridge is located on Sandy Ridge Road over Interstate 40 in Colfax, and the ceremony is scheduled to begin promptly at 2 p.m.

Sgt. Nix was a Greensboro native and spent 22 years serving with the Greensboro Police Department. He was killed on Dec. 30, 2023, at the age of 50, after being shot while trying to intervene in a crime he witnessed at a gas station. His death sent shockwaves through the Greensboro community and law enforcement agencies across North Carolina.

During Sunday's ceremony, NCDOT officials will be joined by local leaders, members of the Greensboro Police Department, other law enforcement agencies, and Sgt. Nix's friends and family. Signs bearing the bridge's new name will be unveiled on both sides of the Sandy Ridge Road bridge.

The event will take place on the Sandy Ridge Road (Exit 208) ramp from I40 near the bridge site. Seating will be limited, and the ceremony is expected to last a short time.

Drivers should plan ahead. The Sandy Ridge Road ramp (Exit 208) will be closed starting at 1 p.m. and will remain closed for the duration of the dedication. Traffic signs will be posted to help direct motorists around the closure.