As one of the few access points to the ocean along this stretch of coast, Oregon Inlet is a major departure point for charter fishing trips, with a nearby harbor serving as the base for many large boats that travel miles out towards the Gulf Stream almost every day.

Shoaling of the channel through Oregon Inlet caused by this movement of sand has been a problem for the fishing industry, recreational boating, and other maritime interests for decades.

Since 1950, when Congress first authorized the dredging of the inlet,[1] the channel has been shallower than planned most of the time and was sometimes closed altogether.

In addition to the economic harm caused to the maritime community, several ships and lives have been lost.

[2] In 2022, Dare County contracted for a dedicated dredge, Miss Katie, to focus on keeping Oregon Inlet navigable.

[8] The bridge handled about 2 million cars per year,[9] and the state DOT ranked it a 4 on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the safest.

[10] While isolated, Hatteras Island could only be accessed by boat or plane for many weeks while emergency construction was underway to replace its only highway link to the mainland.

[11] The Federal Highway Administration approved the plan to replace the bridge over Oregon Inlet that connects with Pea Island and lies within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

"Closing the Bonner Bridge is necessary to keep all travelers safe, but we know it will have a devastating effect on the people who live along and visit the Outer Banks," said NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata.

"We will work to safely reopen this vital lifeline quickly, and hope to be able to begin construction on a new bridge as soon as possible."

Until it was safe to reopen, The NCDOT Ferry Division provided emergency support to move cars and trucks across the Pamlico Sound between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point.

On December 16, 2015, crews from Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative began moving underground electric cables, which were subsequently attached to the old Bonner Bridge, that connected Hatteras Island to the cooperative's power supplier Dominion North Carolina Power.

[17] A crew working on the bridge on July 27, 2017, severed a power cable and caused a widespread blackout on the Outer Banks islands.