last legal hurdle to bonner bridge falls!

the aging Bonner Bridge
The aging Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet. Photo courtesy Outer Banks Voice

Sighs of relief and much celebrating ensues on the OBX, and on Hatteras Island in particular, with the announcement that the Southern Environmental Law Center has dropped the final lawsuit halting construction of the Bonner Bridge. NCDOT can now move forward with replacing the aging structure, only 30 years past it’s expiration date. HOORAY!

Bonner Bridge from the south side of Oregon Inlet.
Bonner Bridge from the south side of Oregon Inlet.

“Governor Pat McCrory announced Tuesday that 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. ”

[box type=”bio”] For the full details of what is contained in the NCDOT press release, click here.[/box]