The new bridge on the North Carolina Outer Banks will carry the name of a former state lawmaker.
The N.C. Board of Transportation voted on Thursday to name the bridge over Oregon Inlet for former state Senate leader Marc Basnight.
A news releasefrom the N.C. Department of Transportation says the segment of the old bridge that's slated to become a pedestrian walkway will retain the name of Herbert C. Bonner. The old bridge was built in 1963.
There had been opposition to the new name from some locals, accordingto various eastern North Carolina news outlets, includingThe Outer Banks Voice.
Basnight represented Dare County in the N.C. Senate from 1984 until 2011 and served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate from 1993 until 2010. He was also a champion for the replacement bridge.
The new bridge opened to traffic on Feb. 25.
