TIP Project R-2576

[Cybear]

While we're on the subject ot transportation issues, may I urge consideration of the Mid-Currituck Bridge. As I speak, people in Corolla, Sanderling and Duck are at risk in the event of an CAT 3 -5 Hurricane. At present, the only means of egress from these spots on the OBX is NC 12, the beach road. This sand shouldered two-laned road is quintessentially ill-suited for widening at any point and to use it in the event of a Hurricane routes evacuees into rather than away from harm's way. Included among these thousands of evacuees will be family vacationers, service sector employees, business owners and full-time residents. The picture won't be pretty and some absolutely preventable fatalities may occur.

The Bridge has been on the TIP study list forever. Every time it moves up the list, it mysteriously slips again into oblivion. This is so despite the fact that the Legislature has approved it as a possible toll project (which takes some of the heat off in the grapple over funds).

My experience has been that when something as necessary as this project just cannot seem to get done, it's time to follow the money trail. Does any fellow Planeteer have any inside information as to who is happy about the delay and as to whose palms are being greased?

[orulz]

Seems that this project is being considered by the NC Turnpike Authority to be funded partly by tolls on the bridge. That makes great sense to me. A toll bridge could easily be opened and made free in the event of an evacuation, but it's not such a blaring invitation to "Please overdevelop our beach and overwhelm this bridge with traffic too!"

See here for more info.

What do you think about this Cybear?

[orulz]

What do you think about this Cybear?

Just re-read your post and noticed that you already know this. Ha ha. Pays to pay attention...

Regardless, I think this is an excellent project for a toll road.

[ChiefJoJo]

This may be the first public-private partnership road in NC. Apparently, the relatively low cost of the bridge and the potentially high demand for traffic (not much competition out there!) and time travel savings from VA, there are several investors looking at this project. Tools could be used to finance the bridge and pay back the investor's up front costs.

[Cybear]

Just re-read your post and noticed that you already know this. Ha ha. Pays to pay attention...

Regardless, I think this is an excellent project for a toll road.

I'm on the same page with you and the Chief. I just wanted to know who has been so successful at delaying this project. My hat is really off to him/her/them. There is essentially no rational reason for this project to have languished for so long (we're talking years at this point and the project is farther away from fruition than it was several years ago), so whoever keeps derailing it gets my grudging respect as well as this year's "Thwarting the Public Good Award".

I live in Salt Lake, but am a native North Carolinian and a property owner at the OBX. Whenerver I go there, I marvel at how people continue drive from VA to Kitty Hawk in order to get to Corolla without any effective political response. A few years ago, I helped a former mayor of one of the area municipalities to draft a PAC document, the idea being that contributing to a few legislative campaigns might bear fruit. The idea of a PAC got tabled as "unseemly" and "political". Instead, a nonprofit was formed to raise "public awareness" in order to accomplish the same thing, but without anyone having to "soil" their hands through political intrigue. You can see the result...

Which again brings me to my original question. I wonder who is doing political favors for whom in order to table this project. The press won't get interested until something prurient occurs or until a tragedy happens. Well, another Atlantic Hurricane season is on the way...

[RaleighLover]

It is amazing because a simple solution would just to be to build a bridge. You get to the end of Corolla and the road just dead ends. You can see Virginia on the otherside.

[carolinaboy]

I think the bridge effort has been held-up for several issues:

1. I believe the environmental impact study was not favorable for construction

2. The citizens of the County are concerned that a bridge would allow further development/overdevelopment of the OBX which is a tough political nut to crack.

Although the evacuation route argument should be enough to get this thing built, for some reason it hasn't been.

I will point out that a new bridge was recently constructed in Dare County near Manteo. Mark Basnight probably had alot to do with that one being built. Perhaps because that one was being built, the Mid-Currituck bridge could not.

[Cybear]

I think the bridge effort has been held-up for several issues:

1. I believe the environmental impact study was not favorable for construction

2. The citizens of the County are concerned that a bridge would allow further development/overdevelopment of the OBX which is a tough political nut to crack.

Although the evacuation route argument should be enough to get this thing built, for some reason it hasn't been.

I will point out that a new bridge was recently constructed in Dare County near Manteo. Mark Basnight probably had alot to do with that one being built. Perhaps because that one was being built, the Mid-Currituck bridge could not.

Points well-taken, Carolina Boy, but just how much more overdeveloped can the OBX get, especially the Currituck County OBX with is "four wheel drive beaches" and other blight?

When I was working on the PAC documents I mentioned in a earlier post, the official word from everyone from the Army Corps of Engineers to the CAMA people to local municipal political amateurs was that some important people in Currituck County who loved the tax revenue that Corolla generates, also loved for the traffic and infrastructural dilemma this created to be Dare County's fiscal and quality of life problem. With more people and many more potential votes in Dare, even after discounting for out of state property owners, one just has to ask what would make it possible for these influential people to all but kill the Mid-Currituck Bridge other than conduct that the Norfolk Virginian Pilot or Raleigh News and Observer ought to salivate to uncover and print?

Maybe my bigger problem is that none of these news institutions has bothered to search for a money trail.

Any thoughts?

[carolinaboy]

There are about 3000 lots platted in the Northern Currituck Outer Banks, with only about 500 developed. I think the folks are afraid that the bridge would speed-up the development of these lots because they would be easier and quicker to get to, thereby making them more likely to be developed. There is no infrastructure up there (water or sewer or a hard surfaced road for that matter) to really accommodate the potential growth.

Meanwhile, the Southern Currituck Outer Banks has about 4000 lots with 3500 or so developed. So again, the fear is the bridge will quicken the pace of development that perhaps the County is not ready for infrastructure-wise.

IMO the bridge should be built. 1. The bridge would alleviate the traffic nightmare in the southern end of Currituck by allowing those going to Dare to not take the bridge and those going to Currituck to take the bridge. 2. As you previously mentioned the additional evacuation route needs.

I don't believe a bridge would necessarily allow for quicker development of the OBX, development is going to happen with or without a bridge.

Maybe we'll hear some news soon.

[CarovaRealtor]

It is amazing because a simple solution would just to be to build a bridge. You get to the end of Corolla and the road just dead ends. You can see Virginia on the otherside.

Actually Virginia is a good 11 miles from where the road ends in Corolla.

There a lot of turmoil about this bridge for various reasons. We have 2 well organized groups voicing their opinions here each with their own websites. http://www.BuildTheBridge.org & http://www.NoMCB.com

I only hope that the Bonner bridge doesn't suffer from all the attention that this one seems to be getting.

[DPK]

Way to bring a topic back from the grave, lol.

Can't believe its been this long and there are still unresolved issues with this.