The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently reopened the public access to the Pamlico Sound at New Inlet in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
The access has been closed since last winter when the North Carolina Department of Transportation began construction of a permanent bridge at the inlet cut by Hurricane Irene in the area in 2011.
DOT asked for and received from USFWS a permit to use the parking area at New Inlet as a staging area for construction equipment needed for the bridge project.
In September, DOT announced that it was stopping work on the permanent bridge indefinitely while the department negotiated with environmental groups about how to replace the Bonner Bridge at Oregon Inlet and provide a transportation corridor through the refuge.
According to USFWS, DOT recently asked for and received a modification of the permit to allow public sound access at New Inlet until construction resumes.
Refuge Manager Mike Bryant said, “Both the Refuge and NCDOT wanted to make this access possible. We acknowledge the desire for sound access. By modifying the special use permit, we can allow public access while decisions are being made about when the construction project will resume.'”
NCDOT has cleaned up construction materials and equipment from the area and has removed the barricades. The parking area and use of New Inlet will be open under the same rules, regulations, and guidelines until the project resumes.
USFWS says that when construction resumes, it is likely this area will again be assigned to NCDOT for exclusive use.
