Bridge work continues in Dare

Published 5:48 am Saturday, January 4, 2020

: The trestle structure for the Rodanthe bridge is now opposite Corbina Drive. As of early December, 13 of 107 spans have been cast; 24 of 108 bents were installed and 92 of 344 piles had been driven. The expected delivery date is now mid-2021 for the 2.4 mile bridge. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo

In Dare County, the state’s Department of Transportation has two bridge projects underway.

At the Rodanthe bridge site, contractor Flat Iron Constructors continues to build the trestle, which now extends well into the Pamlico Sound. At the south end, the trestle is now opposite Corbina Drive.

Enhanced procedures for casting, testing pilings and training are now in place at the casting yard in Virginia. Delivery of newly manufactured pilings is expected.

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The 2.4 mile bridge will have 17 to 19 feet of clearance above water.

Project managers at the south end of the project expect grading, paving and stormwater drainage installation for the new roundabout intersection. This work is anticipated during January. A single lane closure of NC 12 is anticipated for this piece of the bridge work. At a Dec. 5 meeting, division engineer Jerry Jennings said traffic will be shifted to the roundabout when the new bridge opens.

When the Rodanthe bridge opens, a remnant of NC 12 will remain to serve the Rodanthe residential developments north of the bridge entrance. NCDOT will maintain the remnant section of NC 12.

NCDOT is required by its easement agreement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove 1.8 miles of NC 12 from the Rodanthe border to the northern entrance to the new bridge. The agency is also required to take out sand bags lining the S-curves.

In Oregon Inlet, two barges are loaded with pieces of the old Bonner Bridge and ready to dump concrete debris on the selected artificial reefs.

However, the Oregon Inlet bar is now clogged and the barges can’t cross over to the ocean.

The demolition work has taken out 66 spans from the bridge’s north end. Some 58 more spans remain to be taken out. Before Hurricane Dorian, the crews were taking out a span per day.

Demolition at the old bridge’s high rise is stymied by rock found around two bridge support pilings.

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