THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070350
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BUXTON LENGTH: 63 lines
A new bridge linking Hatteras Island to the rest of Dare County will be built, regardless of whether rock jetties are built to stabilize Oregon Inlet, Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight has promised.
Basnight was a surprise visitor at a public hearing Monday night to discuss construction of a $91 million replacement for the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge, and the possible construction of jetties to help keep the channel open for sport and commercial fishermen. About 150 people attended the meeting at Cape Hatteras School.
Basnight, a Democrat from Manteo, quickly dismissed speculation that the new bridge would not be built without construction of the jetties.
``The bridge will not be held hostage by the jetties,'' Basnight said. ``Nothing could be further from the truth. There's no way whatsoever to stop the building of the bridge.''
Willie Etheridge of Wanchese, president of the Oregon Inlet Users Association, said a misunderstanding fired rumors about a link between the bridge and the jetties.
``Under no conditions did I say hold up the bridge for one second,'' Etheridge said. ``My idea, and I still think it can be done, is for the state to take land from the federal government to build the bridge, and to build the jetties. The federal government can't say a word.''
Etheridge added, ``I've pulled people out of Oregon Inlet for years, and I beg all of you people to help us with it (the jetties). But I never intended for us to hold up the bridge for one second.''
Basnight said he would like to see the jetties built not only to stabilize the passageway to the Atlantic, but to strengthen the new bridge.
``Speaking on behalf of the jetties, I'd like to see them linked to the base of the bridge to give us more protection,'' Basnight said.
The environmental impact study for the bridge project should be completed later this month. Funding is the next hurdle. However, Basnight is confident the money will be there for the new bridge. If money is approved, construction could begin in the fall of 1997.
``We do not have funding yet,'' Basnight said. ``But we will get it.''
The jetties are another matter. For 26 years watermen and environmental interests have battled over the need for the rock structures.
Supporters, like marina operator Harry Schiffman of Manteo, said the state should take land owned by the federal government to build the jetties. Among the many benefits, Schiffman said, would be a $42 million boost to the economy over 10 years, a dependable water pressure outlet in the event of a storm, and a prolonged life for Hatteras Island and the Pea Island Refuge. But above all, the population of North Carolina's northern barrier islands would be safer.
``I think it's time for us to go to the mat,'' Schiffman said. ``It's not happening on the federal level. We have the legal right as a state to take the property for the maintenance and protection of our roads and highways. Because of the immunity provisions, we can't go after the Department of Interior. But we've got the ball, let them come after us.''
But some in the audience were skeptical.
``It sounds real nice, but it smells like pork barrel to me,'' Lou Browning of Frisco said. ``Even though we're getting assurances that we'll get the bridge no matter what, I don't trust politicians. It's interesting to look around the world and see what Corps of Engineers projects have worked and which have not. I don't know if we're going to beat Mother Nature or not.''
In an informal poll taken at the meeting, 69 Hatteras Island residents said they wanted continued work on the bridge, three were opposed. by CNB