Southern Environmental Law Center chimes in on the Mid-Currituck Bridge

As the NCTA is beginning to explore its financing options while the draft Environmental Impact Statement is available for public review, the Southern Environmental Law Center has issued a letter to attempt to shut down one avenue of public funding available through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA). Those of you in favor of the bridge should not be too alarmed as every project the NCTA has done has gotten at least a letter from the SELC. This letter seems to suggest that they would prefer the funding to go to the Oregon Inlet bridge connecting Hatteras Island-which has potential merit-but the SELC somehow neglects to disclose their robust opposition to compromising on that bridge as well. Regardless how you view the stance taken in the letter, I think we can all agree that the SELC could use a map and a tad more diligent research to figure out where Bodie Island is located.

Turnpike Authority Schedules Public Meetings For Bridge Project

If anyone is interested in discussing the Bridge, there are some Q&A meetings scheduled below.


The North Carolina Turnpike Authority has released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Mid-Currituck Bridge and scheduled three public hearings to discuss the project with citizens.

Public hearings are scheduled as follows:

May 18 - Ramada Plaza, Nags Head
May 19 - Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, Corolla
May 20 - Currituck Cooperative Extension Center, Barco
Each session will include an open house at 3:30 p.m. and public hearing at 7 p.m.

Draft EIS report now available online for Currituck County Bridge

Below is the press release from the NCTA updating about the Bridge

N.C. TURNPIKE AUTHORITY PUBLISHES MID-CURRITUCK BRIDGE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Transportation Agencies Recommend Option MCB4



RALEIGH –– The North Carolina Turnpike Authority, in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), today published the Mid-Currituck Bridge Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Draft EIS identifies Alternative “MCB4” as the Recommended Alternative, which includes construction of a bridge across the Currituck Sound. The Recommended Alternative is not a final decision.



“The release of this Draft EIS marks an important step forward for the Mid-Currituck Bridge project,” said David Joyner, Executive Director of the Turnpike Authority. “The community has been waiting for the project to reach this milestone, and it could not have happened without the great collaboration between Turnpike Authority staff, local citizens and the FHWA.”



While The Recommended Alternative, “MCB4,” includes a new bridge facility across the Currituck Sound and minor improvements to existing N.C. 12 and U.S. 158, it does not specify where the bridge would intersect N.C. 12. The Draft EIS identifies two options for this connection, including a northern alignment close to the Corolla Bay subdivision, known as “C1,” and a southern alignment south of the TimBuck II Shopping Center, known as “C2.” Two options are also identified for the location of the toll plaza and for the facility to be constructed across Maple Swamp. Option A includes a bridge across Maple Swamp and locating a toll plaza at a proposed interchange at US 158. Option B involves placing a new road through Maple Swamp with a toll plaza closer to Currituck Sound. No decision will be made on these options until after the public comment period is closed.



“Public input plays a critical role in the decisions made about this project,” said Joyner. “We look forward to receiving the public’s comments.”



The Draft EIS is available on the project Web site at www.ncturnpike.org/projects/Mid_Currituck. By April 9, hard copies will be at the following locations: Currituck County Courthouse; Currituck County Public Library: Corolla Public Library; Dare County Public Library; Town of Duck Administrative Building; Kitty Hawk Town Hall; NCDOT Maintenance Yard Office in Maple and Southern Shores Town Hall.



The Turnpike Authority will hold several public meetings in the project area to give residents an opportunity to review and comment on the project. The meetings are scheduled for:



May 18 at the Ramada Plaza Nags Head Beach, 1701 South Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills;


May 19 at the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, Currituck Heritage Park on N.C. 12 in Corolla; and


May 20 at the Currituck County Center, 120 Community Way, Barco.


The public hearings will begin at 7 p.m. A pre-hearing open house will be held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. prior to each public hearing. Additional information about these meetings will be provided on the project Web site and in local newspapers.



The public comment period on the Draft EIS and Recommended Alternative will be open until Monday, June 7, 2010. Public comments can be mailed to Jennifer Harris, P.E., North Carolina Turnpike Authority; 1578 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1578 or emailed to midcurrituck@ncturnpike.org.



The Turnpike Authority, a division of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, is developing the Mid-Currituck Bridge project as a public-private partnership. The proposed toll facility is approximately seven-miles long and would cross the Currituck Sound connecting the Currituck mainland at U.S. 158 near Aydlett with N.C. 12 on the Outer Banks south of Corolla. Construction of the Mid-Currituck Bridge is scheduled to begin in 2011 and, depending on the construction methods used, open to traffic in late 2014.

For a copy of the Draft EIS report, click here