The latest on Currituck County’s much publicized Mid-Currituck Bridge is a reported delay. Northeastern NC news source, Daily Advance reports that the record of decision scheduled to be delivered in April 2018 has been delayed until this summer. For more information and details, please see links below –
Link to April 2018 update from Daily Advance: http://www.dailyadvance.com/News/2018/04/20/Bridge-decision-delayed.html
Link to Project Overview from NCDOT: https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/midcurrituckbridge/
So let’s chat. The biggest question that I’m asked about are property values? How will the bridge affect my property value? Does accessibility make my property more or less valuable? Does the remote location create some exclusivity that translates into higher prices? Or does easy access, drive the highest price for weekend getaways and second home ownership? I think we can all say that Corolla and its homeownership experience is different from Kitty Hawk to Nags Head. Largely, Corolla’s active real estate market is driven by the rental machine and their ROI. What will this new “season” mean for rentals and ultimately real estate? Does this mean more flexible stays with stays less than 7 or not a Sat/Sun changeover and what will that mean for the bottom line? So many unknowns, when the cart is before the horse – meaning the bridge comes before the vacationer and homeowners know how the bridge might change their Corolla visiting habits. It almost feels like the bridge is some new technology and we are trying to anticipate demand.
For me, this discussion and the ongoing plans for a bridge, bring so many questions. What will this do to Corolla? How will it change life for locals and a vacationer’s experience in Corolla? The potential for a large influx of people on an ongoing basis is not something I can envision. The only experiences I have to compare are when ferries arrive on Ocracoke or a cruise ship arrives in Key West but these are a much more controlled volume; a volume that these destinations are equipped to handle. Where will all these cars park? Will they have access to the beach and restrooms? Perhaps, I might be overselling the idea that a constant flow of traffic will arrive, or maybe not. Are we creating a year-round rental market like Nags Head? How will businesses prepare when moving from a 20-week season to 52? The one thing I think we all can agree on is, “will vacationers use the bridge versus sitting in traffic for hours?” that is a loud and clear, “YES”.
Oh the questions. Is Currituck County preparing a budget and projects for additional infrastructure to handle the traffic? Will this traffic relief for US 158 and NC 12 be a good thing for businesses in Southern Shores and Duck? Will this change how a vacationer views driving to Duck and destinations south? Will this bridge create commercial and residential expansion from Chesapeake to Aydlett? Speaking of closing gaps, what will the bridge mean for Carova? What will this potential loss of visual marketing of Corolla vacationers do to H2OBX waterpark? I guess for now, we can wonder all the what-ifs, whens and hows.
Link to Currituck County’s Economic Development Department: https://www.thinkcurrituck.com/mid-currituck-bridge
Image from NCDOT – https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/midcurrituckbridge/download/ProjectMap.pdf