The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-06-12
BRIDGES
Continued from Page One)

BRIDGES
Continued from Page One)
Iacross the state welded by people
who want short route to the
coastland. The present routes will
never answer their desires until
the river is bridged, whereby the
distance is shortened. The argu-
ment is being used effectively
that the states investment in the
lCroatan Sound bridge will remain
for naught, and the purpose for
which it was built will never be
fulfilled until the river is bridged.
Across the length of the state, is
Unanimous demand for this bridge.
While the Oregon Inlet Bridge
by unanimous agreement is essen
tial to the economy of the area, it
|has apparently few people who
can maintain a unified approach
to solving the problem. Two bar
Iriers, temporary ones, it is be-
Ilieved, now stand in the way Of
Immediate construction, both of
which may be ended at an early
date. The first is that the High
way between Mays Head and Oc-
racoke has never been approved
as a part of the Federal road sys-
tenn, and therefore it does not
have the advantage of sharing in
the benefits of Primary U. S. road
funds. For a long time, Federal
approval has not been granted,
largely on the premise that the
some 1000 citizens of the area do
not bring the project within the
rules which restrain so large an
investment in so small an area.
The rapid increase in public need
brought about by the Park serv-
ice and the military, it is believed
by some seasoned observers, will
soon offset the primary reason
which has been barrier to the
project as we'll as to the road i'm
provement. 1t will be remembered
that the State itself has invested
over a million and a half dollars
in this road, which is large sum,
all things being considered, and it
lis a source of distress to Highway
officials, that the long awaited
Federal approval has not material
lied, although the state authori-
ties are maintaining continued
effort to obtain it.
The second barrier to immedi-
ate building of the bridge is in
terposed by the requirement that
it contain a large and expensive
drawspan which must have the
approval of the Corps of Engi-
neers. The location of this span
cannot be established until the
actual channel is completed. For
tunately, there is at this time,
funds in hand to do this job OF
channel locating, as a part of the
Oregon Inlet Manteo waterway
project. The Engineers give assur-
ance that equipment for this UNI
dertaking is being assembled, and
that we may hope for this project
to be complete in another year.
In search of confirmation as to
the progress of the inner channel
project, we talked to the Engi-
neers' office Tuesday and were
advised that bids will be opened
on June 10th, and completion
stipulated for March l. We also
Learned that it is the hope OF the
engineers to establish and deepen
the channel across Oregon Inlet
bar, near the Pea Island side, by
July of next year. In other words,
within four months after the in
,ner channels are completed, the
outward project should be estab-
Ilished, and nothing will stand in
the way of bridge engineers.
| AS this writer sees it, there is
nothing to feel discouraged about
in the progress in behalf of either
bridge. He believes that the con-
Iditions will demand the building
of both within a reasonable period
of time. Those Of US who have
followed such movements from
their inception stage, are aware
of all the circumstances that OPP
crate for and against the early
consummation of things so valu-
liable. Sometimes they are aided by
the commonsense of our best lead
ers, and sometimes they are de-
Ilayed by the blunderings OF
others who consider themselves
leaders, but who, in their lack of
seasoned experience and mature
judgement wade blindly in against
the tides of commonsense and rea-
son.
We know that Of our own
. weight we can do little. That
these things like many Others
will be accomplished more largely