Kiteforum.com

Looks like the Feds have approved the "jug handle" bridge proposal for NC12. In a nutshell, they are spending almost 2 hundred million on a (very small) bridge/causeway that goes out into the sound and bypasses a difficult section of highway that gets damaged or flooded with every hurricane that hits the OBX.
https://apps.ncdot.gov/NewsReleases/det ... px?r=12548

They're reason (excuse) for doing this is that this bridge will be less of an environmental impact than doing a bridge over the existing Hwy 12. I'm no civil engineer or ecologist, but putting up a causeway out in the heart of the Pea Island Refuge seems really counter intuitive, excessive and unnecessary.

Now I'm just a one week a year visitor, so my opinon(s) shouldn't count for much. However I've been going to this area of Rodanthe for over 15 years. I'd like to know what the OBX residents think. Big deal, no big deal? I'd be super pissed if I was one of the soundside home owners that are now going to have a highway out their living room window.
The red arrow shows where the houses and popular kiting area is. What a shame....

Yep hard to believe this is the best way to go.

can't fight the birders. they have deep pockets and hundreds of lawyers. I'm sure building it this way is cheaper than spending $100 million on lawyer fees fighting the Southern Environmental Law Center before you even use a shovel. This is merely millions of dollars of extra concrete and steel instead of thousands of billable hours. Makes sense to me. I would spend 200 million too if it mean I didn't have to fight against bird lawyers.

http://pilotonline.com/news/local/trans ... 849d6.html

"The Southern Environmental Law Center, the group leading the opposition, hasn't dropped the idea for a 17-mile bridge, one whose cost could top $1 billion. Instead, it's now focusing on nudging the state toward building it in sections - as three different bridges that eventually would be linked. That would accomplish the group's goal of getting N.C. 12 out of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and a stretch of barrier island that's become increasingly vulnerable to ocean overwash."



I can't speak for residents but I'm sure they just want a bridge and don't like I guess what they sometimes call them is eco-terrorists, do-gooders that give money mindlessly to "good causes" and have no idea that all that happens to their money is it goes straight into the pockets of lawyers. The lawyers don't care how stupid the jug handle bridge is as long as they keep getting paid.

Wow.......that would be a huge and expensive bridge. You'd think they could rebuild the dunes for the next 200 years for cheaper than that. Hmmm. It's such a cool area, but I know that those barrier islands naturally erode and shift all over the place. NC 12 is always under some sort of construction, so something has to be done. Just a huge bummer that they're putting a big bridge out in the sound.

It is A positive thing, just get in your car & dive to a different spot. Or would you like to stand in line for A ferry? If you have ever bin to the keys in Florida, it is all bridges. That is how you get there. Done deal, small price to pay

As long as they put lights on it and make it wider than the highway that's currently there, I'm all for it... that road is so scary to drive on

You wont be able to kite from the houses that will be in front of the bridge. That really sucks!

dylan* wrote:As long as they put lights on it and make it wider than the highway that's currently there, I'm all for it... that road is so scary to drive on

Seriously? Are you naturally a nervous driver?

Kitehatteras wrote:It is A positive thing, just get in your car & dive to a different spot. Or would you like to stand in line for A ferry? If you have ever bin to the keys in Florida, it is all bridges. That is how you get there. Done deal, small price to pay

I suppose it is a positive thing for many, but for the people that own and rent houses on that part of the sound it really sucks... it also sucks for those who like to do the downwinder to or from new inlet

The whole point of renting a house on the sound is so you don't have to drive to another spot to kite.

From a visitors point of view I have stayed at and rented the Quinn Inn, Sounds Great, Frequent Flyer several times I am disappointed. Our awesome spot will soon be lost.
Guess there are other spots... but we can't keep losing them like this or soon there won't be any spots left.

Laughingman wrote: I suppose it is a positive thing for many, but for the people that own and rent houses on that part of the sound it really sucks... it also sucks for those who like to do the downwinder to or from new inlet.

The whole point of renting a house on the sound is so you don't have to drive to another spot to kite.

From a visitors point of view I have stayed at and rented the Quinn Inn, Sounds Great, Frequent Flyer several times I am disappointed. Our awesome spot will soon be lost.
Guess there are other spots... but we can't keep losing them like this or soon there won't be any spots left.

Exactly!

Our group of kiters has been renting one of those houses in that area for years. It's a really great place to teach, do downwinders, and just practice in the shallows. Once that bridge goes up, we're out. Sure there are a ton of other places in the OBX, but that was our go to spot for over a decade..........and now for a little more money we can just hit the Caribbean.

Don't get me wrong, Hatteras is still awesome and somewhat inexpensive place to kite in the U.S. I'm just bummed that we're losing ANOTHER spot.