A CROWD of about 50-60 people turned out for a public hearing in Manteo Tuesday night (July 6) on the newish proposal for building a new Bonner Bridge from the north beaches to Hatteras Island. The bridge was built about 1960 and had an expected life of 30 years. Plans have been proposed, litigated with environmentalists, gone through environmental assessments, designed, priced and, it seems, a final proposal may go through soon if there is no more environmental litigation. The first proposal in the late ’80′s was for a new bridge parallel to the old one with other, smaller, bridges built over the low spots on near the bridge on Hatteras Island. Environmentalists fired back with their own plan to build a long bridge west of the current one, making it harder for visitors to have access to Pea Island national Wildlife Refuge. Cost negated the environmental plan, and the new proposal is to begin with the replacement bridge and then take care of the low spots when needed. 

  RAY STURZA, mayor of Kill Devil Hills and director of Dare County Planning Department, speaks to the crowd gathered in Manteo for a public hearing on the new replacement for Bonner Bridge.

  ROBIN MANN of Manns Harbor speaks to the crowd at the public hearing on the new proposed Bonner Bridge.

  ALLEN BURRUS, Dare County commissioner from Hatteras Island and owner of a family grocery store in Buxton, speaks to those gathered at a public hearing on the new bridge proposal.

Speakers say ‘yes’ to new bridge

About 50-60 people gathered in the commissioners’ meeting room in the county administration building in Manteo Tuesday night (July 6) for a hearing on the new bridge to span Oregon Inlet and connect Hatteras Island with the north beaches, and there were no naysayers in the group. Everyone wanted the new bridge, one by Thanksgiving. The hearing was held by N.C. Department of Transportation to receive comment before the construction project  begins.

  The bridge, in the planning and arguing stage for about 20 years, is an emotional issue, for those living and doing business on Hatteras Island and for those interested in protecting the sensitive environment of these barrier islands. Environmentalists favor a long bridge (the one-bridge option) that would be built to the west of the current bridge and curve around around bypassing the current access to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Because the cost of that proposal is estimated to be between $1.3 and $1.8 billion, and because it would limit public access to Pea Island NWR, it was dropped, and the current proposal is to build a parallel bridge, landing it just west of the current landing point so the current bridge can be used until the new one is complete. 

  The new proposal would cost an estimated $265-$315 million for the first (replacement bridge) phase  There is no public cost projection for the proposed  (according to DOT materials handed to participants at the hearing) ”Implementation of a coastal monitoring program on Hatteras Island between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe to determine when and what to build for future phases. NCDOT anticipates that improvements in the three existing high  maintenance areas (low areas which flood often) on N.C. 12 in the refuge will be implemented next. ”The options for this phase include bridging, relocating the roadway and beach nourishment, as well as others that may be proposed in the future. The bridge will be built with Federal highway funds (80 percent) and state funds (20 percent).

  Part of the design change to the bridge was a new location for the southern end of the bridge. Other parts it also addresses (according to DOT materials) ”concerns about the impacts to the Rodanthe Historic District and the Chicamacomico  Life saving Station.”

   The bridge process has taken so long because, in addition to requirements by the federal government and state, according to DOT, ”the Bonner Bridge is in a uniquely sensitive and dynamic environment with its location on the Outer Banks, so it comes with a set of challenges not faced on other projects. The bridge and adjacent roadway pass through a national seashore, a wildlife refuge and communities that have been located on the Outer Banks for generations. It is within a coastal area subject to the effects of storms and shoreline erosion, and the project area includes habitat for several threatened and endangered species, numerous other wildlife and multiple historic sites. Several federal and state agencies have direct interests in the project as well, either as actual property owners or as agencies responsible for a particular resource.”

  Characteristics and impacts of the new bridge include: two lanes with eight-foot shoulders and bicycle safe rail; access maintained to recreational facilities at the north and south ends; provisions for fishing at Oregon Inlet and a navigation height of 75 feet for a distance of 3,300 feet. NCDOT plans to provide access to fishing at the northern end of Hatteras Island as part of the construction through catwalks or another structure attached to the new bridge, a separate fishing pier or boardwalk or other solution. For bicycles, the plan includes eight-foot shoulders on both sides of N.c. 12, allowing room for bicyclists on both ends of the bridge.

  NCDOT plans to work with the U.S. fish and Wildlife Service to retain the terminal groin which protects the current bridge. The old bridge is slated to be demolished as soon as the new bridge is in use.

  In contrast to other public hearings and meetings on the bridge project, there was no one who spoke against the bridge with most people voicing “build it, build it now,” opinions. About 13 people spoke. The only new suggestion was put forward by James Fletcher, representing the United National Fisherman’s Association, who proposed building a tunnel. He said it would be costly in the short run but last much longer, and thus cost less in the long run than a bridge. Ken Sharp, a 25-year resident of Manteo, said, ”That bridge is like part of my body (because he takes his boat under it. ” We can’t continue to litigate . . . Just build the a new bridge, please.”

  Another hearing will be held Thursday, 7June 8,  p.m., at Cape Hatteras Elementary School.  

  The two plans for the bridge are shown here, with the chosen plan in red and the later phase in yellow. The environmentalists’ plan is shown on the left. (From NCDOT )

  The current bridge proposal is shown here. (From NCDOT)