Crews will begin repairing the Bonner Bridge, which carries Highway 12 over Oregon Inlet and connects Hatteras Island to the mainland, on Tuesday, Sept. 25. The work will help fortify the bridge against the sand erosion that commonly occurs in the inlet just south of the navigation channel. 
 
As part of the project, certified divers will place sand bags and wire baskets filled with rocks on the inlet floor. They will span the width of the bridge beneath its support system. The baskets and sand bags will help prevent the current from washing away the sand around the base of the bridge.
 
The project also includes installing a supplemental concrete support structure just above the water line on one section of the bridge where scour regularly occurs. This addition will help strengthen and protect the bridge from the eroding sand.
 
Crews will do this work from several large barges. The barges will not block the navigational channel. However, their anchors will be deployed in the water. The North Carolina Department of Transportation advises mariners to be aware of the anchor lines, which will be marked in accordance with U.S. Coast Guard guidelines, and avoid the areas where the barges are stationed to ensure safety.
 
Temporary periodic lane closures on the bridge will be required to allow crews to deliver their materials to the barges. When the closures are in place, signs, flaggers and/or portable traffic signals will guide motorists through the area.
 
NCDOT awarded the contract for the $1.8 million project to American Bridge Company Inc. of Coraopolis, Pa. Final completion is scheduled for no later than Dec. 1.
 
For real-time travel information on Highway 12 at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ncdot_nc12. Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type “m.ncdot.gov” into the browser of your smartphone and bookmark it for future reference. NCDOT Mobile is compatible with the iPhone, Android, and some newer Blackberry phones.