The Bonner Bridge on NC 12 over the Oregon Inlet opened for traffic on February 25, 2019. This bridge was the first bridge in North Carolina constructed with stainless steel reinforcing, and is intended to have a 100 year service life. Increased service life of critical public infrastructure is becoming more common and this project is an excellent example. It’s constructed with numerous precast concrete elements, which not only simplified construction, but also can be more durable than cast in place concrete. The precast elements on the bridge are prestressed, which allows for better crack control in the concrete, which is critical to preserving the integrity of the reinforcing steel in a saltwater environment like the Oregon Inlet.
If you’d like to see the construction process in action, check out the
excellent series of videos produced by Dare County that tracks the building of the bridge from the very beginning in March 2016 to its opening nearly three years later. - Mike Batten, DTC Civil Geotechnical Instructor
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