Bonner Bridge is closed to all traffic. Recent sonar scanning of the bridge identified areas where too much sand has eroded from the support structure of the bridge. NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata made this statement “Closing the Bonner Bridge is necessary to keep all travelers safe, but we know it will have a devastating effect on the people who live along and visit the Outer Banks.” He goes on to say the NCDOT will work quickly to reopen the bridge. An emergency ferry route has been established between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point to ferry people to and from Hatteras Island. Construction on a new bridge has been delayed many times due to groups that filed legal action against the building of a new bridge. The Herbert C. Bonner Bridge was opened in 1963 and had was never intended to be used for 50 years. Construction on a replacement bridge was suppose to begin in 2013 but opponents Defenders of Wildlife and National Wildlife Refuge Association have caused construction to be put off for years due to legal issues.
