A lpha & Omega Group performed a National Bridge Inspections Standards (NBIS) inspection on the 1963 Herbert C. Bonner Bridge, which carried NC Highway 12 traffic from Bodie Island to Pea Island over the Oregon Inlet. The two-lane, three mile structure was designed to last 30 years. By the time we conducted our inspection in 2006, erosion from storms and the strong current, as well as heavy traffic volume, had taken a toll on the condition of the bridge.

During the Great Recession, state funds were especially tight, and the State was not prepared to replace the bridge. After much public debate, the NCDOT proceeded with a plan to repair the bridge until the replacement could be built. A&O performed a structural assessment and designed and produced plans for repairs to the bridge in 2007.

Based on the recommendations contained in our in-depth structural assessment, the project’s scope included extensive research of repair methods and materials, detailed locations of repairs for each substructure element, repair sequence, quantity estimate and development of 166 drawings for repair plans. The construction took three years and was completed in November 2010, with a 1.8% under-run of the $14.7 million bid by Coastal Gunite. The repairs were intended to extend the life of the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge for a ten-year period, until the Marc Basnight Bridge could be built to replace it.

Including Alpha & Omega Group, the entire repair team was made up of HW Lochner, Inc; Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc; and Ko and Associates, P.C.

“The in-depth assessment performed by Alpha & Omega Group was outstanding. The document provided a realistic and detailed summary on the condition of the bridge as well as actions needed to hold the bridge until it can be replaced. This information was extremely helpful in determining the appropriate course of action for this challenging project.”
— Thomas Drda, PE - previous FHWA Bridge Engineer, North Carolina Division

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