Advance work gets underway for new Bonner Bridge construction

Motorists along Highway 12 will see construction activity starting Tuesday, Feb. 23, weather permitting, as PCL Constructors begins preliminary work ahead of the Bonner Bridge replacement project.

The contractor will be preparing the area at the south end of the bridge in Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge by placing erosion control measures and clearing vegetation on both sides of the highway, as well as adding several feet of pavement to either side of the road to accommodate traffic being shifted to the east to access the existing bridge during construction.

Additionally, motorists will see equipment working in the area of the refuge’s parking lot northbound on Highway 12. As part of an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the southern half of the parking lot is being converted to a staging area for construction equipment throughout the life of the project.

The grassy area adjacent to the parking lot also will be used for staging. The northern half of the parking lot, which is closest to the catwalks and bridge, will remain open to the public. A new driveway entrance will be built to provide public access to the lot. The existing driveway entrance will be used by construction equipment only.

Refuge visitors should watch closely and use caution entering and leaving the public parking area, as there will be active equipment using the area.

NCDOT awarded a design-build contract to replace the bridge to the team of PCL Constructors Inc. and HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas. Construction is scheduled to begin in March.

For real-time travel information, call 511, visit the Traveler Services section of NCDOT.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.