Jug Handle Bridge opening delayed for pavement marking repairs

The anticipated opening of the Rodanthe ‘Jug Handle’ Bridge in Dare County is being delayed, because pavement markings installed earlier this week do not meet N.C. Department of Transportation specifications for quality or reflectivity.

Flatiron, the prime contractor, after consultation with NCDOT, has elected to seek a new subcontractor to replace the substandard markings and re-stripe the bridge and the intersections. Once a new subcontractor is in place, a better timeline on a traffic shift to the new bridge can be established.

Pavement markings are the final step in the completion of the 2.4-mile bridge over Pamlico Sound, which will bypass a section of N.C. 12 that is highly vulnerable to ocean overwash.

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