By Joy Crist, Island Free Press
An extensive project to rebuild the dune barrier between the Atlantic Ocean and N.C. Highway 12 on northern Ocracoke Island is underway, with minor traffic delays expected for the next few weeks.
Sawyer & Sons Construction out of Columbia, Tyrrell County, was awarded a $250,000 contract to move roughly 14,500 cubic yards of sand from the N.C. Ferry Division’s dredge spoil site to this stretch of the island. From there, the contractor will cover exposed sandbags and reconstruct the dune protecting the roadway approximately two miles south of the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry terminal.
An estimated 7,115 feet of dune will be reconstructed as a result of the project, which is spearheaded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
The contractor will also be stockpiling nearly 3,000 cubic yards of sand on the right-of-way west of N.C. Highway 12 at this location for use by NCDOT maintenance crews throughout the ongoing hurricane season.
Work began on Monday, July 28, and per the NCDOT contract, the project must be completed by Sept. 19.
“Automated flaggers are being utilized to allow traffic to safely pass through the work zone in a single lane configuration while work is taking place,” said Tim Hass, communications officer for NCDOT Division One. “As the ferry runs on a schedule, prioritization is given to traffic heading towards the ferry dock.”
This venture is one of many recent projects aimed at protecting this vulnerable stretch of N.C. Highway 12.
An estimated 800 sandbags in this area were last repaired in April 2024 after a series of winter and spring storms washed over N.C. 12.
Call me simple but why is there not a program for everyone to bring their old Christmas 🎄 to a location and let nature do it’s thing. It has worked in other regions and keeps a lot out of the disposal system
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