WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Kay Hagan applauded the decision by the Eastern District Court of North Carolina to allow construction on the replacement of Bonner Bridge to move forward. Since coming to the Senate, Hagan has worked closely with federal officials and stakeholders in the Outer Banks to find the best solution to replace the aging bridge, which reached the end of its projected lifespan 20 years ago.

The court's ruling came one day before a chunk of concrete fell from the bridge into the water."This court ruling is a victory for the Hatteras community and visitors," said Hagan in a press release "The deteriorating state of Bonner Bridge is alarming, and this decision brings us one step closer to ensuring safe travel to and from Hatteras Island for the people who depend on this critical lifeline every day. I will continue to see this process through so that we can ensure this long overdue replacement bridge is finally built."

"The Bonner Bridge provides the only vehicular access to Hatteras Island for our 4,500 Hatteras Island residents and millions of visitors," said Warren Judge, Chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners. "The bridge is truly a lifeline, providing access to care and daily activities such as work and extracurricular activities. We appreciate the efforts of Senator Hagan, who worked extremely hard with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Carolina Department of Transportation to secure the Record of Decision for the project in late 2010. Judge Flanagan's decision in support of the project has lifted the spirits of the people of Hatteras Island as one more step has been taken to reach the point when construction will finally begin."

Since coming to the Senate, Hagan has sought a solution to allow the permitting process for the Bonner Bridge to move forward. At Hagan's urging, the U.S. Department of Interior endorsed the replacement of Bonner Bridge in December 2010.

The state of North Carolina and local residents have been working with the Federal Highway Administration for over 20 years to develop a plan to replace Bonner Bridge. The bridge was built in 1963, with an estimated lifespan of 30 years. It is now 20 years past the projected retirement date of 1993.

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