May 27: Curtain rises on 85th season of the Lost Colony/Snyder named deputy supt. for NPS Outer Banks Group/Great Manteo Girls’ soccer season ends in 4th round of playoffs.

In KDH, a debate over rules on itinerant vendors

Missing driver found and charged

New navigational channel at Oregon Inlet

Christopher W. Ward of Elizabeth City, May 24

Opening night reveals a re-invigorated, restored…

By Kip Tabb | Outer Banks Voice on May 25, 2022

If the weather cooperates and the paint subcontractor can meet its schedule, the Jug Handle Bridge — which bypasses the troubled S Curves north of Rodanthe — will open for traffic late next week, about three to four weeks later than originally anticipated.

Although weather has played a role in slowing the final steps to opening the 2.4-mile-long bridge, the biggest delay was an expansion joint that failed to seat properly when placed between the spans that support the roadway. When the joint was placed, the top of the metal plate that forms the sides of the joint was a little higher than the roadbed.

“It was just under three-quarters of an inch,” said Pablo Hernandez, NCDOT Resident Engineer for Division One.

Thought was given to shaving the metal plate smooth with the road, but as Hernandez explains, that would have led to an escalating series of decisions. The expansion joints are two parallel metal hold-down plates separated by a flexible material. The plates are held in place by recessed bolts.

“We…did not want to machine these plates to accommodate how much they were sticking up because they would have [removed] a lot of the meat of these plates,” Hernandez said. “These plates are essentially the size of a two by four. So they’re pretty stout.”

With the plate not yet in place, other work had to be scheduled around the replacement, and as a result, the opening of the bridge was pushed back.

There are a number of expansion joints throughout the bridge, and it is not clear why the joint at bent 83, where the problem was located, did not seat properly. It is possible that smoothing the roadbed played a part in what happened, something Hernandez suggests may have been a contributing factor.

The delay may help Cape Hatteras Electric Coop in shifting their power lines to the bridge more quickly, although it’s unclear how much time will be saved. Without traffic on the bridge, crews are able to do the preliminary work more efficiently, but ultimately, the final steps are dependent on when the electric cables arrive.

There is still other work to be done before the bridge is ready for traffic, although if the weather cooperates, it should go quickly. One of the major steps is ensuring the expansion joints are watertight, a multi-step, seven-day process.

The road still needs to be marked. The markings will include a substantial part of the bridge that, like the Marc C Basnight Bridge, will have a passing lane. The paint is a very specific paint that lies flatter on the road and lasts longer than other paints.

“It’s the same type of paint that’s on the Oregon Inlet bridge,” Hernandez explained. “We need to pressure wash and clean the deck surface before we put that paint down.”

He noted that there are just two or three contractors qualified to use the paint.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO REVIEW PLANS FOR AN OUTER BANKS EVENT CENTER County Dare, North Carolina Dare County Tourism Board

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Visitors Bureau will hold a public meeting to review the plans for an Outer Banks Event Center. The meeting will take place on Monday, June 6, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Keeper’s Galley building at Haven on the Banks, 115 Dove Street, Nags Head North Carolina 27959.

Still in the conceptual phase, the Event Center is intended to provide suitable and flexible space for year-round events, concerts, sports, meetings, smaller tradeshows, galas and any number of other uses. Learn more about the benefits for visitors and residents and how the Event Center is planned to complement the new Soundside boardwalk that is being designed.

Staff will be on hand to answer any questions. For additional information, please visit our Event Center FAQ page.

Hooray!! The next obstacle is the Canal Zone from Pea Island Visitor Center to the Basnight Bridge. Are there any plans beyond the eternal hauling and piling of sand?

why was there no mention of the environmentalist lawsuit that forced the brige to be closed for an additional 2 months after it was complete?

Tom, the bridge opening was delayed due to a damaged expansion joint, new one had to be sourced delivered and installed.

I have been dreading this day. I was really hoping the bridge would be opened before or after peak season. The roundabout is going to be a nightmare. Also, next time the road is closed (and there will be a next time ) can someone please tell people to pull off to the shoulder of 12 and not block intersections and driveways. Real P in the A trying to work in this town when that happens. I called the sheriffs office to tell them to tell vehicles to pull off to the side. They told me to call the DOT. I called the county office, they told me to call the state office of DOT. The state office of the DOT told me to call the sheriffs office. See the problem.

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