From our news services
Work will begin Friday (Jan. 17) to place massive sandbags alongside N.C. 12 at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, which the North Carolina Department of Transportation says is a temporary solution to protect the highway from ocean overwash caused by extreme tides and storms.
The project is meant to mitigate the type of overwash that caused the road to be closed for a short period in mid-November, the highway department said in a press release.
It will also add a layer of protection for the road itself, helping to prevent the type of undermining that could damage the pavement and cause a long-term shutdown of the only roadway link between the mainland and Hatteras Island.
“We know this is only a temporary fix,” said N.C. Department of Transportation Division Engineer Win Bridgers. “But it’s vital for us to do everything we can to keep N.C. 12 open and accessible while we seek a more permanent solution.”
The project will take about a week to complete with alternating single-lane closures in the area while the work is ongoing. The total cost of the project is $400,000.