Outer Banks bridge finally on horizon?

Even among supporters, there's probably only a small percentage of people who look forward to seeing a new toll bridge rise over Currituck Sound to create another route to the Outer Banks.

A new crossing will be disruptive. It has also become unavoidable.

The annual summertime crawl to the beaches of Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties has begun in earnest as beachgoers head to the shore for a long Memorial Day weekend.

Over the years, the long lines of traffic on U.S. 158 and N.C. 12 have grown longer - and complete gridlock more frequent. The decades-long debate over a new bridge appears to be ending, finally, with a yes.

The proposed bridge would link Currituck County's mainland to the village of Corolla. The span would start near Aydlett, about 25 miles south of the Virginia-North Carolina line, and land near the Corolla Bay subdivision or TimBuckII commercial complex.

The bridge would reduce travel time for folks headed to the northern end of the Outer Banks. The closest existing crossing is the Wright Memorial Bridge, about 20 miles south of Aydlett, which means drivers now have to go south toward Nags Head, then make a U-turn and go north another 20 miles through Duck to Corolla.

The traffic jams and convoluted route have long been the source of safety concerns. Without a new bridge, by 2035, it would take an estimated 36 hours to evacuate Outer Banks visitors ahead of a Category 3 storm, according to a 2007 report.

A new bridge would improve evacuation times, ease the drive in good weather, cut down on pollution caused by idling vehicles and boost tourism. But there are potential downsides, namely in disruptions to the communities of Aydlett and Corolla - as residents of both places pointed out during recent public hearings.

The North Carolina Turnpike Authority is still taking public comments on the bridge. The deadline is June 7; comments can be e-mailed to midcurrituck@ncturnpike.org.

Officials need to focus on reducing the effects on nearby residents, keeping tolls as low as possible and ensuring that land-use plans on both sides of the sound do not encourage willy-nilly development that will negate the benefits a new bridge would bring.

This weekend will provide visitors and residents with another look at the status quo. When they return to their normal routines next week, they should take a few moments to share their thoughts with state officials on the proposed bridge - and how to minimize the disruptions to come.