Dare County, N.C. - The U.S. Coast Guard announced restricted boat access at Oregon Inlet on Saturday morning.
The enforcement of a Regulated Navigation Area, or RNA, is prohibiting the transit of vessels with a draft bigger than two feet move within 100 yards of the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge.
The Coast Guard says they will continue to monitor conditions and update the RNA as necessary.
Dare County Emergency Management Coordinator, Drew Pearson, said that an on-site inspection was needed after a recent survey from the Army Corps of Engineers showed the worsening conditions of the inlet.
According to the The North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Bonner Bridge has suffered significant section loss and substructure erosion.
After this mornings inspection, the newly introduced RNA is to ensure safety for mariners and to protect the Bonner Bridge.
County officials have been in communication with the Army Corps of Engineers and with State and Federal officials to open the inlet as soon as possible.
