State officials are accepting bids today for construction of the new Bonner Bridge on the Outer Banks. The span will be built just to the west of the current bridge over the Oregon Inlet. Victor Barber works for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. He says three companies will submit bids with the winner being chosen by late this afternoon.
Victor Barber: "The new bridge itself will have longer spans which means there will be more distance between piers, the navigational channels that boats can go under will be much longer than the old bridge and it'll be just kind of a slick looking bridge if that makes sense."
Barber says the winning company will immediately begin securing permits with construction expected to get underway next summer. He says the DOT is addressing concerns of environmentalists who have filed a lawsuit to stop the project.
