Hatteras Island residents are once again facing a closed stretch of North Carolina Highway 12 after another bout of ocean overwash damaged the pavement near the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reports roughly 800 feet of road surface and 1,800 feet of protective dune have been lost.

Local officials call for swift action

“We’ve got to stop kicking this can down the road because the road is no longer there,” said Dare County Commissioner Mary Ellon Ballance, who lives on and represents Hatteras Island. The damage follows a similar event less than a month ago that required a full rebuild of the same segment.

Ballance emphasized the impact on local businesses and families, stating, “This is a huge hit to the people that have businesses down here and the residents down here. It’s time for the state to act.” She added that the current response from state officials feels indifferent, “All the state is doing right now is saying we don’t care about Hatteras Island, we don’t care about Dare County.”

Proposed short‑term and long‑term solutions

In the immediate term, Ballance proposes moving the road west of the visitor center to avoid further overwash. For the long term, she advocates constructing elevated roads and bridges to provide a permanent solution. “You cannot continue to rebuild that road, it needs to be moved. That is the quickest short‑term solution; the long‑term solution is going to be bridges,” she said.

She stressed the urgency, noting, “There is no time to waste. We’re going to be in the same boat in three weeks.” The ferry service between Stumpy Point and Rodanthe has already been activated twice in the past month to maintain access for residents and tourists.

State response

Governor Josh Stein addressed the issue in a media briefing in Edenton, describing a long‑term solution for NC 12 as a priority. “What we need to do is come together, the federal government and the state, and come up with some long‑term solutions because this is happening over and over and over,” Stein said.

While the governor highlighted collaboration, Ballance remains focused on immediate relief, asserting that safety is a bipartisan concern and that residents should not have to endure repeated closures.

Current status and ferry schedule

NC 12 remains closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe, with no confirmed reopening date. NCDOT crews will assess the full extent of damage once storm conditions subside.

In the meantime, the emergency ferry operates on the following schedule:

• Thursday: Rodanthe → Stumpy Point at 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m.; Stumpy Point → Rodanthe at 5 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m.
• Friday: Rodanthe → Stumpy Point at 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m.; Stumpy Point → Rodanthe at 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m.

Local leaders continue to press state officials for funding and expedited action to protect Hatteras Island’s vital transportation link.

Original reporting: WTKR News 3 (Scripps) – local — read the source article.