http://66.225.205.104/CT20120531.mp3
Saving North Carolina Coastal Highways For hundreds of years the Outer Banks of North Carolina have been a destination for pirates, tourists and hurricanes. Storms reshape the islands forcing residents and government officials to rebuild but there are those who think that maintaining infrastructure on the Outer Banks is foolhardy and prohibitively expensive. The best example of this debate may be Highway 12. Department of Transportation engineers repaired a critical bridge on the highway last August after Hurricane Irene sliced in two places. It reopened in October but needed repairs again by January. Hurricane season is back so we'll look at the battle for the Outer Banks and whether the state can afford to support development on islands that scientists say may not even be there in 100 years. Guests Dr. Stanley Riggs - Coastal Scientist at East Carolina University and author of The Battle For North Carolina's Coast (more about Dr. Riggs) Elizabeth Smyre - Project Planning Engineer, NC Department of Transportation Project Development and Environmental Analysis Unit Willo Kelly - Vice Chairman of NC-20, Coastal Development advocate Add and read comments