The Coastal Resources Commission has given the N.C. Department of Transportation approval to build a turnaround and sandbag structure perpendicular to the shoreline where the existing highway will come to a dead end once the Rodanthe “jug handle” bridge is opened to traffic.
Transportation
Bridge will bypass Pea Island, but refuge access to remain
The new “jug handle” bridge bypassing the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is set to open early this year.
Researchers eye alternative energy to power state ferries
The North Carolina Ferry Division and university researchers are studying possible ways for alternative energy to power the state’s 21 ferries.
Federal infrastructure deal could mean billions for state
Although details are yet to be finalized, the deal struck this week on a major federal infrastructure spending plan could mean billions for N.C. transportation, resilience and clean water projects.
Officials Seek Long-Term Plan to Save NC 12
Finding solutions for imperiled N.C. 12, including the ferry terminal at Ocracoke Island’s north end, is a “top priority,” an NCDOT official told the Coastal Resources Commission.
Ferry Division’s Needs Among NCDOT’s Woes
Coastal residents and the economy depend on the state’s ferry system, but disasters, shoaling, diminishing funds and an ageing fleet compound the challenge.
Port’s Environmental Study Awaits Funding
Planned deepening and widening of Wilmington harbor, the first project subject to a new fast-track federal process, was authorized in December, but the environmental review remains unfunded.
Hertford County Cable Ferry Resumes Service
Though repairs and COVID-19-related budget issues interrupted service of the state’s three inland cable ferries, Parker’s cable ferry that crosses the Meherrin River in Hertford County is back in service.
Groups File to Block NEPA Rule Changes
Environmental advocates have filed for an injunction to block the Trump administration’s overhaul of National Environmental Policy Act rules, just as the NEPA process begins for Wilmington projects.
Officials Seek Broader Approval for Dredging
Dare County and state officials seek flexibility in being able to dredge persistently shoaled channels that are affecting transportation to and from Ocracoke Island.
Dorian’s Cost to Ferry Division Tops $4M
Although damage was not as widespread as that from two hurricanes in 2018, NCDOT’s Ferry Division says Hurricane Dorian in 2019 resulted in more than twice the $1.7 million cost of those storms combined.
‘Jug-Handle’ Bridge Work An Intricate Dance
Construction of the “jug-handle” bridge around Pea Island isn’t an ordinary bridge project, especially with the environmentally sensitive surroundings and other construction challenges.
NC 12, Channel Shoaling Concerns Escalate
Discussions during a recent meeting of the Dare County Waterways Commission indicate that persistent threats to the Ocracoke highway and north-end ferry dock have become more urgent.
Study Sought for Third Bogue Banks Bridge
Officials in Carteret County have asked the N.C. Department of Transportation to do an express design for a proposed third bridge to Bogue Banks.
NOAA to Phase Out Paper Nautical Charts
Paper nautical charts are popular as wall art but their usefulness to mariners has waned, and NOAA plans to transition from hard copy to digital maps of the nation’s waterways.
Port Officials Review Expansion Study Draft
Ports officials last week downplayed environmental challenges identified in the first draft of a feasibility study for the proposed deepening and widening of the Wilmington shipping channel.
