The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-02-06
NO CROATAN SOUND BRIDGE
UNDER PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
APPEARS FEASIBLE SOON
Supreme Court Throws Municipal Corpora
ton" of Land Promoters 'Out the Window"
in Ruling Last Week; Proposed TOll-Road
to Virginia Beach Also Affected by Courts
Adverse DnciSiOr1
Adverse Decision.

If Croatan Sound and Alligator
River gets bridged, it looks like
the State will have to do the job.
The N. C. Supreme Court last week
handed down a decision that the
legislation creating the Carolina
Virginia Coastal Highway Corpor-
alton is unconstitutional. This
company had sought to build a
highway from Kitty Hawk to Vir-
ginia Beach, and to bridge Croatan
Sound. They had gotten laws pass
ed that would have enabled them
to operate tax free, and which gave
them the right of eminent domain.
The supreme court said this legis-
lation violated the States consti-
tuition in three ways:
l. Because it delegates legisla-
tive authority to the Municipal
Board of Control.
2. Because it makes special pro-
vision for highways and bridges in
lANS SOullCISS SU1 DdIS'
Tyrrell, Hyde and Carteret-in vio-
lation of the Constitutional provi-
sion that the General Assembly
may not pass local, private or spec
lal laws affecting highways, bridg-
es or ferries.
3. Because it permits a corpora
ton, which is not legally a munich
pal corporation, to enjoy a tax
exempt status which is limited by
law to the property of municipal
corporations and governmental
units.
If the toll road is built, it will
have to be done in some other way.
| Further legislation may be in the
making. No effort has been made
by our legislators to encourage the
state to build a bridge across Gro
atan Sound. 1t might be that our
trusted servants are waiting to see
if they can still find a way to help
the promoters get a corporation
owned toll bridge.
This history of the proposed toll
road goes back some five years. In
1948, there developed a project
for the promotion of several thou
sand acres of land on Currituck
beach. There was no way to devel-
OPP it unless a road were built. Eff
fort was made to get the State
Highway Commission to build this
road to the Virginia line. 1t was
represented that this was the
greatest road need existing in Dare
County. Some encouragement came
from highway officials, but wher
they were reminded of other great
road needs on Hatteras Island anc
elsewhere, they backed off.
The Gland spectators then at.
tempted to build the road by sell.
ing bonds. But there were no bid.
ders for the bonds. The project
looked too risky. Failing in this
they attempted to borrow the mon
ey from the Government lending
agency the RFC. The RFC turned
down their application for two anc
three quarter million dollars.
The promoters really made al
effort and put in lot of hard worl
and time and spent some money
The beach road looked too risky fol
investors, but the promoters go
hold of a smart idea. If they coulc
get bridge over Croatan Sount
tied in with the proposition, thiI
looked pretty sound, and with tn,
State Highway Commission
blessing, which would in effec
mean the Highway Commission
didn't plan to span these waters
with bridge, the whole thing
might work.
In the last legislature nobod!
was trying to help US get bridge.
or bridge built by the State, bu
our representatives were sanction
ing the corporation project, en-
deavoring to tax free privileges.
But even at that, investor,
doubted the soundness of this leg
islation. They just didn't believ,
it would hold water, and the pro
motors were forced to get a cour
opinion. They had to bring a tes
case themselves in the courts t.
satisfy prospective investors. They
were hopeful the courts would rul,
with them. But such is not thu
case. The courts said the schem,
isn't lawful.
If the toll road is built it will
have to come through other meth
DDS. Sidney Banks of Virgins
Beach, one of the promoters OF
the Virginia end of the project, il
quoted in the Norfolk newspaper.
as saying further efforts will b.
made to build the road.
In the interim, during the pas
year, the people of the section
which so badly needs bridges tt
serve the traffic on U. S. Highway:
Ga and 264, had become desperate
at the apparent desertion on the
See BRIDGE, Page Eight