Unearthed deeds clear path for Bonner Bridge project

The discovery of two old deeds will allow the state Department of Transportation to save $300 million on a replacement for the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge.

The deeds apparently let the department get around right-of-way issues, which have been a major impediment to construction, through Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The bridge will no longer have to stay within an established corridor through Pea Island.

"Those deeds gave us the right of way any time in the future for transportation in perpetuity," said Jim Trogdon, NCDOT's chief operating officer, on Friday.

"That changed the interpretation that we were forced to stay in the original right of way, which is the principle that we've been operating under since 2005- 06."

Unearthed from the archives of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the 1953 and 1958 deeds changed the course of the planning for the prolonged project once again. It also delayed the project at least nine more months.

"Now we're not constrained," Trogdon said. "Our preferred alternative is not to stay within the original right of way."

Instead of a "phased approach" that would build a 2.7-mile bridge over the inlet first, followed in stages by a series of small bridges on N.C. 12 to Rodanthe, the chosen alternative, Trogdon said, is now "Road North/Bridge South." That plan replaces the bridge parallel to the existing span and places the road from the south part of the refuge to the north end of Rodanthe on a bridge.

Trogdon said that before signing off on the phased approach late last year, the Federal Highway Administration asked to see the deed modification to support the part of the plan dealing with the right of way. That prompted the state attorney general's office to look in the UNC-Chapel Hill archives.

With the new information, NCDOT is no longer at the mercy of the approval of the refuge manager. The concern over lawsuits is also decreased.

Started in 1990, the replacement bridge project was originally planned at the site of the existing bridge. Planning stalled for years and was revived in 1999. That plan was abruptly stopped after a coastal engineer determined that the bridge would be anchored to a severely eroding section of beach.

Engineers then came up with a 17.5-mile design that would bypass Pea Island entirely. After strong objections from local officials over the high cost and lack of access to the refuge, NCDOT eventually designed the phased approach as its preferred alternative.

The phased approach had been estimated to cost $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion, including maintenance and construction through 2060. The new alternative is expected to cost $300 million less.

Trogdon said public forums on the new option will be held before August. The Record of Decision, the final step in the planning process, is expected in September or October.

If all goes as planned, Trogdon said, the design/build contract is scheduled to be let in February 2010.

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com