Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The North Carolina Department of Transportation issued a press release Friday morning, July 17 to remind water sports enthusiasts on the Pamlico Sound to stay at least “a football field away” from the Rodanthe “Jug Handle” Bridge as work accelerates on the $145 million project.

The area around the bridge is considered an active construction zone and safety is cited as the main concern.

“There are cranes moving and swinging heavy loads, and bridge workers on boats and under bridge lifts all around the project,” said Pablo Hernandez, project engineer. “It’s just not a safe place for jet skis, kayaks and kiteboards right now. We’d like them to stay at least 300 feet away from the bridge, which is easy to visualize since it’s the length of a football field.”

The project is expected to be complete in the fall of 2021 and will take NC 12 over the Pamlico Sound to bypass a section of the highway susceptible to flooding.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS AND EVENTS HERE.

RECENT HEADLINES:

NOAA’S Monitor National Marine Sanctuary seeks applicant for education seat on advisory council

Manteo: Where everybody knows his name