RODANTHE, N.C. — On Wednesday, the North Carolina Department of Transportation announced the new bridge at the Outer Banks will take a little while longer to open. They blame the delay on recently installed pavement markings.
NCDOT says the markings do not meet their specifications for quality or reflectivity. The problem means project organizers will have to find a new contractor to replace the markings and re-paint stripes on the bridge and its intersections.
NCDOT did not give a timeline on when a new contractor would be selected or when the bridge will finally open to the public.
When it opens, the Rodanthe or 'Jug Handle' Bridge in Dare County, will function as an update to NC Highway 12. The road is frequently used by tourists and locals in the Rodanthe and Avon region of the Outer Banks.
The project began in 2018. The 2.4-mile bridge would cost the state about $154 million.
The bridge was deemed necessary to avoid a portion of N.C. 12 that frequently floods due to ocean overwash. In May 2022, the stretch of road closed because of serious flooding. The weather system that caused that flooding was the same that caused a home to collapse into the ocean.
