SPOTLIGHT REMAINS ON BONNER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
Plans for replacement of The Bonner Bridge over Oregon inlet continue to hold center stage among the current issues facing Hatteras Island. Last Thursday, a public information session was held at the community center in Rodanthe, and a number of attendees expressed their opinions concerning the best option. At the present time, there are at least seven alternatives. There are basically two choices for the routing of the new bridge. One is the 17.5 mile “long bridge” over the Pamlico Sound that would bypass the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and connect to the island in Rodanthe. The other route is a bridge that would “parallel” the existing bridge over Oregon Inlet. Then, a variety of alternatives are proposed for traversing Route 12 through Pea Island. Details concerning the various options can be viewed on the Outer Banks Task Force web site at – http://www.obtf.org/ and on the Replace the Bridge Now web site at – http://www.replacethebridgenow.com/
The final decision concerning the new bridge is expected to be made in May, with completion of the bridge scheduled for 2013 or later. Quite honestly, it is our opinion that cost and political support will be the deciding factors in the decision, and that means that the parallel bridge is almost certainly the choice that will be made.
Comments on the proposed bridge can be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation by April 17th. They can be mailed to Carl Goode, NCDOT Human Environment Unit, 1583 Mail service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1583, or e-mailed cgoode@dot.state.nc.us