Greensboro dedicates I-40 bridge as Sergeant Dale Nicks Bridge

A bridge on Interstate 40 at Sandy Ridge Road in Greensboro City was dedicated as the Sergeant Dale Nicks Bridge in a public ceremony that honored Nicks’ service and offered a new community support effort for first responders.

The presenter announced, "forward, it will be known as the Sergeant Dale Nicks Bridge," noting that "thousands and thousands of cars" pass beneath the span each day and that the sign will keep his name visible to the public.

Why it matters: The dedication enshrines a local officer’s name in a highly visible spot on I-40 and provided a public moment for family and community members to express gratitude and remember his approach to service.

Family members spoken for at the event said the naming was deeply meaningful. A meeting participant representing the Nicks family said the dedication was "very very special" and added that the family would have preferred Dale be present but appreciated that his name will be seen daily by motorists.

Speakers at the ceremony highlighted the family's long history of service to Greensboro. The same family speaker said several relatives still serve the city and that the family has "over 165 years of combined service," framing the naming as a way to thank that record of public service.

A speaker recalled Nicks’ personality and a tendency to defuse tense encounters, saying people who know him "are going to smile every time they go over that bridge because he loved to have fun." Another explained the phrase "got your six," used by first responders and the military to mean "they've got your back," and recounted Memorial Day observances in which Nicks used the phrase.

Organizers also described a new support effort: "we started a ministry at Life Community Church called Got Your Six," a monthly gathering for first responders and veterans that meets the third Thursday of each month and is open to people who are not church members. The speaker said the group aims to give retired or discharged service members a place "where they can still feel at home with one another."

The ceremony combined remembrance with outreach: speakers emphasized community support after the family's loss and said the bridge sign will serve as a public reminder of Nicks’ work and the community’s appreciation.

The event closed with remarks that the dedication offers a visible and lasting tribute to a man who "wore a badge" and demonstrated love in his work. No formal vote or ordinance text was presented in the provided transcript; details about the legal or administrative steps taken to effect the renaming were not specified in the record.