Temporary bridge to have Hatteras open in less than 1 month!

[smlobx]

From the Outer Banks Voice...

A temporary bridge over the largest breach in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is expected to get traffic moving on N.C. 12 in less than a month, Gov. Beverly Perdue announced Friday.

The $10 million repair project will be funded entirely by the federal government.

Here's the link!

http://outerbanksvoice.com/2011/09/0...12-in-a-month/

Oh Happy Day!

[Hannibal]

Man, I'd love to have that contract. $10 million in a month! I'd love to see the design drawings. I can't imagine it will have any concrete on it given the cure time not being there. All steel? Maybe panelled/pre-fabbed roadway? I am guessing there will be be people working around the clock on this thing.

I still think they ough to permanently build a flood/tide gate system through there to give the water somewhere go when it needs to move.

[Cutbait Bob]

That is good news!!

[Garboman]

This is an outrage

10 Mil of My Federal Money for a Bridge? A temporary one at that?












Just kidding...........

[Franklin]

Wonder if Perdumb will put a toll both on there? But this is good news and I will be down there first weekend possible!

[Prvt. AL]

Just a quick thought ... I heard/read in a report there are app. 4800 rental units that were unavailable due to HI being cut-off from the mainland. I figure a good off season rate for a unit rental is $1000.00 (which is what I paid for a small "beach classic" house oceanfront in Rodanthe in mid Oct.). So right there is 4.8 M in rental fees. Then consider there is a 5% Occupancy Tax for Dare County and that alone will bring in $240,000 per week or $960,000 per month from the occupancy tax alone .. so (by my beer induced calculations) the occupancy tax alone could pay for the temporary bridge in less than a year.

I bet, barring another major storm, they get it fixed pretty quick. After all .. it is an election yr. and NC is a swing state.

al

[sehguhll]

Fixes should open N.C. 12 in a month, Perdue says
Rob Morris | September 2, 2011

A temporary bridge will span the largest breach. (USFWS)

A temporary bridge over the largest breach in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is expected to get traffic moving on N.C. 12 in less than a month, Gov. Beverly Perdue announced Friday.

The $10 million repair project will be funded entirely by the federal government.

After consulting with 75 experts, the North Carolina Department of Transportation will install a temporary, manufactured bridge across the 160-foot-wide breach just south of the Bonner Bridge, the governor's office said in a statement.

Other breaches will be filled, the statement said. The largest is at Mirlo Beach, a chronic trouble spot on N.C. 12.

"This short-term solution provides time for NCDOT to develop a comprehensive, long-term plan by collaborating with agency partners and experts, as well as state, local, and federal officials," the statement said.

The span will manufactured by Mabey Bridge and at an estimated cost of $2.5 million to $2.7 million, according to the Department of Transportation.

It will be shipped from the manufacturer in 35 truckloads and assembled on-site. The bridge will span 650 feet, a NCDOT timeline said, and 60-foot piles will be driven to support it.

Because it is metal, it will not be a permanent solution in a marine environment, but it will support normal car and truck traffic at a reduced speed.

NCDOT said a similar bridge is on U.S. 52 in Winston-Salem. See the timeline leading up to the plan.

[Jim and Ginny]

Man, I'd love to have that contract. $10 million in a month! I'd love to see the design drawings. I can't imagine it will have any concrete on it given the cure time not being there. All steel? Maybe panelled/pre-fabbed roadway? I am guessing there will be be people working around the clock on this thing.

I still think they ough to permanently build a flood/tide gate system through there to give the water somewhere go when it needs to move.

They don't need to start from scratch. The bridge FEIS has a solution. If it took an extra month, I would be willing to wait and have it done one time with one expenditure. OH, that's right the environmental wackos (including some of our governement agencies) don't like the FEIS solution.

[Salvo Jimmy]

Here's apparently what will be used

http://www.mabeybridge.co.uk/movAnim.asp

[Salvo Jimmy]

More about the bridge

http://www.wral.com/weather/hurricanes/story/10080772/

[Salvo Jimmy]

This from the latest Dare bulletin confirms it's the Mabrey bridge


"Governor Bev Perdue has announced a plan to repair Highway 12 at Mirlo Beach north of Rodanthe. A contractor has been engaged and a project is underway to rebuild and pave a roadbed. NCDOT has also contracted Mabrey Bridge Company to supply a temporary bridge over a large portion of compromised roadway. This temporary repair is expected to be completed in 30 days. NCDOT will later determine a permanent repair plan.

Governor Perdue announced that the temporary and permanent repairs will both be reimbursed by FEMA and have no impact on DOT funds for the area, or the new Bonner Bridge project."

[Backlashed]

Great animation, where do you find this stuff Jimmy?

[Salvo Jimmy]

Great animation, where do you find this stuff Jimmy?

Someone posted it on OBC

[biggestsquid]

I think this is just cool as hell. I do lament that it comes from our friends in South Wales, but at least it is the UK and not China. Makes one wonder why we can't do the things we used to here --- guess the Bailey Bridge boys gave it up!!

Got to figure a way to watch that baby go into place.

[OhioJim]

Great animation, where do you find this stuff Jimmy?

http://ht.ly/6k7Q1

[The General]

No visitor will be allowed on tht Island until the full return of the infastructure..bridge or no bridge.

That came straight from the commisioners and Bobby Outten.

This Sept 17th or just there after date is a hope at best and the powers that be are figuring on sometime in Oct, before the return of the tourist.

[Alexy]

That will be the death of alot of buisnesses on the island.Has it crossed anyone elses'mind that the same bridge the LSB that is used by the US army could be used here with less delay? It is the same bridge but built for the military. There are LOTS of them all over Iraq and afghanistan.

[Backlashed]

There are LOTS of them all over Iraq and afghanistan.

Yea. We have built A LOT of stuff for them that never existed there, ever. We can't get a replacement for the ancient I-75/71 bridge over the Ohio River.

[Salvo Jimmy]

No visitor will be allowed on tht Island until the full return of the infastructure..bridge or no bridge.

That came straight from the commisioners and Bobby Outten.

This Sept 17th or just there after date is a hope at best and the powers that be are figuring on sometime in Oct, before the return of the tourist.

As bad as this will be, it's probably a good call.

Without the road, evac could be a serious problem until H-Season winds down by mid Oct. Yep ferries were used for visitors when the bridge was out, but that was much later in the year. I think Oct was the knock down.

Saw where Ocracoke lost its DGEN Sat and Buxton DGEN was supplying some power. Didn't say if Ocracoke was back up yet. So until the power line is at least temp repaired the capacity/reliability just isn't there to support visitors.

Yep water is being supplied but production capacity is limited by the limited power.

Heck I'm not holding my breath that non-resident owners like me will get back anytime soon. Maybe after power line temp repair.

[biggestsquid]

SJ,

We will be "invited" back by this weekend. Unfortunately unless you had someone extract the water from your carpets it will be too late to do anything but clean up and get the debris from around your house.

I'll catch up with you in the ferry line --- my bet is Thurs-Friday scenario.

Happy UK bankers day. We added a bit to the treasury of Mabrey-- South Wales. They keep miles of that stuff in stock --- must be nice to be able to afford inventory and produce upon demand. Used to be able to do that in this country at one time!!!

[luv2surfish]

T
Governor Perdue announced that the temporary and permanent repairs will both be reimbursed by FEMA and have no impact on DOT funds for the area, or the new Bonner Bridge project."

so we pay for the bridge first and then HOPE FEMA gives us the money back.. looks like
typical price gouging after disaster

[Salvo Jimmy]

SJ,

We will be "invited" back by this weekend. Unfortunately unless you had someone extract the water from your carpets it will be too late to do anything but clean up and get the debris from around your house.

I'll catch up with you in the ferry line --- my bet is Thurs-Friday scenario.

Happy UK bankers day. We added a bit to the treasury of Mabrey-- South Wales. They keep miles of that stuff in stock --- must be nice to be able to afford inventory and produce upon demand. Used to be able to do that in this country at one time!!!

My first floor did not get hit. Worst for me will be loss of an A/C air handler, main electrical panel and water heater. All above the 100 yr flood plain elevation survey marker I have for flood insurance purposes so they should be covered, subject to deductible. Water was about 12-15 inches above the marker. Nothing else of real value in my below first floor level.

A/C and electrical folks have been contacted and are on the way to take a look.

[Salvo Jimmy]

CHEC update on power

https://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/ca...99012820163855

Looks like Ocracoke back up but another failure in REWS area.