The Marc Basnight Bridge, a segmental concrete box girder bridge named in honor of Outer Banks resident and former North Carolina State Senator Marc Basnight, has two traffic lanes with shoulders for pedestrians and cyclists. It was placed parallel to the existing 56-year-old Herbert C. Bonner Bridge, connecting Hatteras and Bodie islands.

The $252 million bridge opened to traffic on Feb. 25, marking the end of the first phase of a larger transportation project. The second phase is under construction, a 2.4-mile bridge that will bypass a portion of NC State Route 12 (NC 12) at on-going risk of flooding and wash-out because of shoreline erosion. It is south of the Basnight Bridge, terminating in the community of Rodanthe.

“The new bridge over Oregon Inlet and the Rodanthe Bridge will help maintain reliable access to Hatteras Island for its residents, vacation home owners, and tourists, as well as the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and parts of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore,” said John Page, project manager and environmental lead for WSP USA.

“The Basnight Bridge includes deeper foundations, stainless steel rebar, and other features to facilitate a longer life in the marine environment,” Page said. “It also includes wider shoulders and a longer series of navigation spans to account for the shifting natural gorge in the inlet.”