Bonner Bridge to Be Built....Finally

Governor Pat McCrory announced the final roadblocks were cleared Friday allowing the N.C. Department of Transportation to proceed with construction of a new Herbert C. Bonner Bridge on N.C. 12 over the Oregon Inlet in Dare County. 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 with a new bridge parallel to the existing one.  “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,” said Governor Pat McCrory.  With the final dismissals, NCDOT and the contractor expect to complete final design and preconstruction work in time to begin building the new bridge in Spring of 2016. In addition to replacing the Bonner Bridge NCDOT will also:  Construct a new interim bridge over the breached inlet on Pea Island and Construct a 2.5 mile-long Pamlico Sound bridge, known as a “jug handle,” from the southern end of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge into Rodanthe.  NCDOT awarded a $216 million design-build contract for the 3.5 mile-long Bonner Bridge replacement to the team of PCL Constructors Inc. and HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas in 2011. This contract is still in place and the final contract amount will be adjusted to meet current costs associated with the construction delay.