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An Islanders Perspective

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Latest Developments On Bridge Replacement

• The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) received agreement on the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 clearing one more hurdle on the way to replace the deteriorating Herbert C. Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet. (Click here to view the announcement)

• NCDOT will hold public hearings prior to adopting a Record of Decision (ROD) in September/October with the construction contract to be let in February, 2010. The parallel bridge (phase one) will be constructed first with NCDOT making decisions regarding succeeding phases based on the research and information available at those times (Adaptive Management).

• NCDOT selected the parallel bridge with phased approach as the preferred alternative to replace the rapidly deteriorating Herbert C. Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet by 2014. The present bridge is undergoing extensive repairs to help it last until the new bridge is in place.

• For the protection of the traveling public, your support needs to continue and we must remain vigilant to ensure that no circumstances arise to delay the replacement of the bridge any longer. When built in 1963, the bridge had a life expectancy of 30 years and a study conducted in 2002 rated the bridge a two out of 100.