![]() above the centerline of NC 12, and areas where the shoreline is less than 230 ft. Areas of principal concern were where island width had shrunk to less than 1,000 ft., dune crest elevation less than 10 ft. Before commencing this project, NCDOT instigated studies of erosion patterns using a combination of color and near-infrared aerial photography, digital terrain models, storm data, and other various data inputs. This vulnerable corridor was long overdue for high-level highway management, given its precarious and volatile location. It is a blatant reminder of exactly why North Carolina’s Department of Transportation is spending $145 million to construct this 2.4 mile-long section of elevated road. The view from this new bridge promises to be magnificent! Atop the gantries being used in the construction of the Rodanthe Bridge in North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound, you can look across the sands of Hatteras Island and see the Atlantic Ocean waves pounding the shoreline next to two-lane NC Route 12. ![]() This bridge will also serve as a long-term solution to erosion caused by multiple hurricanes that have battered the coast of the Outer Banks in recent years. The key objectives of this new Rodanthe Bridge are to ensure safe and reliable passage for travelers and a critical evacuation route for hurricanes and provide better traffic flows among the Outer Banks communities, beaches, and protected areas. Such foresight as these additions to NC 12 will increase its longevity and viability as vital access to these villages of the Outer Banks. Global Change Research Program’s Fourth National Climate Assessment, global sea levels could rise 1 ft. The plans indicate that installing this elevated, 2.4-mile Jug Handle Bridge over the Pamlico Sound, combined with ongoing beach nourishment programs, should prevent further roadway travel compromise.Īccording to the U.S. The buffering dunes are typically breached by ocean overwash in numerous storms, which, in turn, curtail the highway’s viability for travel, transportation, and supplies for the communities further south. In addition, it will provide more options for navigation under the bridge.Ĭurrently underway is Phase II of the NC 12, which encompasses the new “Jug Handle Bridge” and provides an elevated roadway over the area formerly known as the “S-Curves.” This location is from the southern portion of the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge to northern Rodanthe. ![]() By using high-durability concrete, stainless reinforcing steel, and other engineering features, this new bridge should have a 100-year life span. It will better withstand the elements of this coastal environment. ![]() The Basnight Bridge is designed to fill needs well into the 21st Century. Bonner Bridge and carries NC 12 over Oregon Inlet between Hatteras and Bodie islands. In that case, you know that Phase I of this project was completed with the new Marc Basnight Bridge opening in 2019, which replaced the Herbert C. Suppose you’ve been following this fantastic transformation of NC 12 from the start. Fortunately, the costs of these projects are split 80% federally and 20% for the state. They have caused the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Dare County, and the Federal Highway Administration to go back to the drawing board for improvements in NC 12 designs to help revive its increased importance in the 21st Century. Numerous hurricanes and bad storms have left their marks on NC 12. Unfortunately, Mother Nature has a way of raising her hand and seas to us periodically, breaking this fragile string of pearls and reclaiming what is hers. Breach this connection, and their survival is in jeopardy, at least for a while. The string linking the pearls of this necklace is North Carolina State Highway 12, their panoramic access, their lifeline, their backbone.
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