Federal grant to pay for study of N.C. Highway 12 on Pea Island
A federal grant aimed at improving transportation resiliency will pay for a study of options for the future of N.C. 12 between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe.
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that $1.8 million has been earmarked for the study of the 11-mile section of the road through Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
N.C. 12 on northern Hatteras Island has been the scene of numerous ocean overwash events for the last several decades.
A temporary metal bridge over the reformed New Inlet was erected less than two months after a breech by record soundside storm surge caused by Hurricane Irene on August 27, 2011.
NCDOT formulated plans and began initial construction of a roughly 3-mile long span to bridge the gap which has since refilled naturally.
That bridge was scrapped as part of a settlement of a lawsuit by environmental groups which allowed construction of the Marc Basnight Bridge to replace the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet.
Provisions of the settlement led to construction of the Capt. Richard Etheridge Bridge, an interim span at the New Inlet area, and the Rodanthe “Jug Handle” Bridge which carries N.C. 12 around the S-Turns/Mirlo Beach area that was the scene of persistent overwash and breeches.
The Rodanthe and Basnight bridges were designed in a way to possibly connect them in the future as a continuous span of over 17 miles from Bodie Island to the Tri-villages. A task force with representatives from Dare and Hyde counties, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NCDOT, and others, was created in 2021 to develop a long-term, prioritized transportation plan for N.C. 12.
The group identified the Canal Zone south of Oregon Inlet and the area at the Pea Island Visitor Center among hot spots that need to be addressed immediately, along with the Buxton Motels area, Sandy Bay between Frisco and Hatteras village and the north end of Ocracoke Island.
Officials have previously said the work conducted by the task force was key to getting federal government help like what was announced on Friday, as well as potential future support and funding.
The review funded by the grant will “identify future construction projects, streamline environmental reviews, include public engagement and establish detailed, long-term plans for keeping the roadway passable during and following major storm events”, according to the NCDOT’s news release.
Another $1.8 million grant has been awarded to NCDOT to reinforce the shoulder and embankments in a flood prone area where U.S. 74 crosses the Lumber River in Columbus County.
These projects are among 80 nationwide that are set to receive nearly $830 million in discretionary grants through the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant program.
The program provides funding for projects focused on surface transportation resilience to natural hazards and disasters, supporting planning activities, resilience improvements and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure.
It never has bothered me other than people who will not slow down when there is water on the road. I am surprised none of the 2nd home owners pay any attention to the road and how precarious it is. The area just south of the bridge should have been addressed right after the new bridge was built. I realize that is impossible to do without years of planning involving lots of nonsense for something that will have to be done. People get worked up over tolls, but that is the solution to get funding in place quickly. There is not right to get to anywhere without a toll. To appease the people who say they live here and should not have to pay you give them the option for a year long pass at a very affordable price, say the cost of tolls. Do I like the idea…no…but the reality is having the projected revenue will get the bridge(s) built quicker.
Where does the article say anything about tolls?
I missed the part about stating tolls could be a possibility to expedite construction knowing it would generate revenue when complete. Myself and other residents would be much better off as it would cut down on the traffic.