moms vs bonner bridge = moms WIN!

Natalie Kavanagh and Beth Midgett of Bridge Moms

Really need to get something done? Leave it up to some OBX moms. Beth Midgett and Natalie Kavanagh of the Hatteras Island group Bridge Moms were at the center of getting a replacement span for the Bonner Bridge. When politicians or officials wavered, the Moms were there to push the need for a safe replacement for the bridge.… Continue reading moms vs bonner bridge = moms WIN!

bonner bridge replacement begins next month!

It’s really happening! After years of legal battles, a replacement span for the aging Bonner Bridge begins in March. This informative article includes an amazing VIDEO visualization of what the new bridge will look like. The agreement between NCDOT and the Southern Environmental Law Center that allows construction to move forward was far-reaching and complex, as this… Continue reading bonner bridge replacement begins next month!

‘lego’ bridge reconstruction begins

Hurricane Irene's impact in on N.C. Highway 12. Photo by Donny Bowers

Known fondly as the “Lego bridge” due to it’s piecemeal appearance, the New Inlet bridge is getting a much needed makeover. Moving quickly following their historic agreement with the SELC, NCDOT has already begun work to replace the metal plate span at New Inlet on Hatteras Island. As reported in the Outer Banks Voice, the new bridge will be… Continue reading ‘lego’ bridge reconstruction begins

2nd time’s the charm for beach road?

Hoping that a foundation of massive sandbags under the road will keep the Beach Road open, NCDOT has just completed the second round of repairs on the road this year. Sam Walker gives the background writing for the Outer Banks Voice.   “Repairs have been completed to N.C. 12 near milepost 4 in Kitty Hawk,… Continue reading 2nd time’s the charm for beach road?

more summer ferry runs for obx

Noticing changes in when riders take ferries on and off Ocracoke Island, the Ferry Division of NCDOT has increased peak runs for some riders and extended the summer schedule to Columbus Day weekend for the Hatteras/Ocracoke Ferry. “Summer travel season is getting a little longer on the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry System. The North Carolina… Continue reading more summer ferry runs for obx

mid-currituck bridge inches closer to reality

The Mid-Currituck Bridge may happen in our lifetimes. Thirty-eight years after it first appeared in a Currituck County planning proposal and after fits and starts on the federal and state level, NCDOT is taking concrete steps to move the project forward. Sam Walker writing for the Outer Banks Voice gives the background. “The state Board of Transportation… Continue reading mid-currituck bridge inches closer to reality

fixing NC12 in kitty hawk, again

NCDOT crews are on hand to begin repairing the washed out section of NC12 north of the Black Pelican. High tide was at 10 am this morning, and there may have been a little bit of overwash; but with the tide out, work should be able to begin. This article from the Outer Banks Voice fills in… Continue reading fixing NC12 in kitty hawk, again

will beach road repairs hold on obx?

Sandbags exposed by wave action at repaired section of the Beach Road. Photo, Kip Tabb

As the Atlantic Ocean rages, the fragile repair of the beach road just north of the Black Pelican in Kitty Hawk seems close to failure. Following a late season nor’easter last spring, approximately 150 yards of the road were undermined by the sea and had collapsed. To repair the damage, NCDOT pounded a steel retaining… Continue reading will beach road repairs hold on obx?

bonner bridge battle adds a mediator

And the battle rages on, now behind closed doors and plus a mediator. The fight over replacing the lifeline to Hatteras Island, the aging Herbert C. Bonner bridge, has been ON since a lawsuit was filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center in 2011. This update on the Island Free Press shares the details of this… Continue reading bonner bridge battle adds a mediator

mid-currituck bridge news = the good + the bad

Rendering of the Mid-Currituck Bridge. NCDOT. Once again in the news.

The news is out that the Mid-Currituck Bridge (MCB) is back on track, which for long-suffering OBX vacationers has got to be considered GREAT news, but summertime visitors who get stuck in traffic aren’t the only ones taking note. Residents of lower Currituck County, who are trapped on either side of Caratoke Highway for hours on end every summer… Continue reading mid-currituck bridge news = the good + the bad