WILMINGTON (AP) -- North Carolina's last pontoon bridge will swing open a little longer.
The project to replace the Sunset Beach swing bridge with a 65-foot-high structure is pushed back for three months under the state Department of Transportation's latest schedule.
Construction on the $24 million project won't begin until at least late this summer and could be delayed further.
The delay is to give the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers more time to address regulatory requirements and work on permits. The Coast Guard recently issued a notice for public comment, and the Corps of Engineers is responding to public comments. DOT officials say if issues arise, the project could be delayed longer than three months.
The one-lane, wooden-deck bridge swings open on the hour during boating season and on demand for commercial and government vessels. It connects the mainland to the barrier island, and is the source of traffic jams during the tourist season.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
