Legal Settlement Clears Path for Start of Major NC Outer Banks Bridge Project

AASHTO Journal, 21 August 2015

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory announced Aug. 18 that final roadblocks have been cleared away for the state Department of Transportation to proceed with building a new Herbert C. Bonner Bridge on NC 12 over the Oregon Inlet along the Outer Banks.

bonner.jpg Bonner Bridge

“Completing the terms of a settlement agreement reached in June, environmental groups represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center have dropped all remaining lawsuits that prevented NCDOT from replacing the 52-year-old Bonner Bridge,” the announcement said.

That project will erect a bridge parallel to the existing structure, an aging bridge that provides the only highway connection between Hatteras Island and mainland North Carolina. A one-minute video below shows how the new structure will be built.

It will also be accompanied by several other bridge projects in the region.

“This marks another historic milestone in finally replacing the critical lifeline bridge for residents and visitors of the Outer Banks, and supporting our continued efforts to connect North Carolina,” McCrory said. “I want to thank the entire team of NCDOT employees, state and federal attorneys who have worked so hard to make this possible and find a solution for the Bonner Bridge project which had been stalled for more than 20 years.”

With the final lawsuit dismissals, NCDOT and the contractor expect to complete final design and preconstruction work in time to begin building the new bridge next spring.

NCDOT awarded a $216 million design-build contract in 2011 for the 3.5-mile replacement bridge. While that contract is still in place, its final amount will be adjusted to reflect current costs, the agency said.

In addition to replacing the Bonner Bridge, NCDOT will build an interim bridge over an inlet on Pea Island that was breached by Hurricane Irene in 2011, and construct a 2.5-mile Pamlico Sound bridge from the southern end of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge into Rodanthe.

That Rodanthe bridge is estimated to cost $178.8 to $197.8 million. But before a design-build contract is awarded and a timeframe for construction can be set, final documentation must be completed.

Here is the NCDOT video of the Bonner Bridge replacement project:

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