[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Bonner Bridge



On Tue, 15 Jul 2003, Kendrick Weeks wrote:
>
> http://obsentinel.com/articles/2003/07/01/politics/bridge.txt

Many thanks for the article, Kendrick! Interesting reading. Probably a bit
slanted; I notice that it emphasizes how the bypass bridge will cost over
$100 million more than a new Pea Island bridge, while making no mention of
the higher maintenance costs for the shorter bridge, the associated groin,
and NC 12 down the length of Pea Island. Sidney Maddock mentioned that the
current bridge cost $50 million in maintenance 1987-1999, so the
difference would eventually be made up...

>From the birding/ecotourism point of view, Sidney noted that Cape Lookout,
with a ferry, attracted 600K visitors last year. THe article says that 2
million annually visit Pea Island with its bridge and road. So would the
income from a ferry offset the overall loss of visitor numbers to the
region? And how much would this translate into loss of support for bird
conservation, wildlife habitat, etc. from the communities out there? Would
these losses be worthwhile for the gains in population of Piping Plover,
Least Tern, and others?

Another question: Would the increase in isolation for Pea Island lead to
increased visits to the area by birds species we currently don't find
there very often, like maybe Short-eared Owl or Long-billed Curlew?

And a last thought: the bypass bridge would end access to Pea Island from
the north. But wouldn't it still be possible to drive up from the south?
At least up until whatever point NC 12 gets washed out, or covered by
dunes, and then walk/bike/4WD from there? Seems like this might ameliorate
at least some of the tourism losses...

Good birding,

Josh


Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/