Remember the new inlets?
A temporary manufactured bridge will be installed across the largest breach at Hatteras Island, restoring traffic on N.C. 12 within a month, Gov. Bev Perdue announced Friday.
Hatteras Island has been cut off from the mainland since Hurricane Irene's storm surge washed out big chunks of the highway a week ago, creating a new inlet at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Other breaches will be filled to restore the road while the state Department of Transportation comes up with a long-term plan for N.C. 12, which has been knocked out repeatedly by storms over the years.
The repair will cost an estimated $10 million and will be paid for by emergency federal funds, Perdue's office said. The short-term solution was developed after transportation officials consulted with 75 experts, contractors and scientists.
The bridge will span 650 feet and will be installed about six miles south of the Bonner Bridge on Pea Island. The manufactured bridge will be shipped in about 35 truckloads and assembled at the site. It is metal, so it can't be a permanent solution in a marine environment, DOT said. ...
It is unclear how long it will take the state to develop a long-term solution for N.C. 12. Perdue has directed DOT to work closely with experts and local, state and federal agencies to create a strategy as soon as possible.
In the past they've filled the new inlets in and repaired the road. I wonder if that is not an option this time.
