By Sam Walker, SamWalker OBXNews Oct. 28, 2026
NCDOT plans to begin paving a one-lane detour at the Pea Island Visitor Center on Thursday and still aims to reopen N.C. 12 between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe at noon Friday.
Full two-lane service will come later.
The department said Wednesday that installing new sandbags along the protective dune line is expected to take a few weeks, with paving of the northbound lane to follow.
Heavy tarps are currently covering the broken asphalt damaged by the latest nor’easter, which will be removed from the beach before the new sandbags are constructed.
The Friday reopening remains a goal. The highway is still closed between the bridge and Rodanthe, and visitor access to Hatteras Island remains restricted.
All other sections of N.C. 12 north of Oregon Inlet and south of Rodanthe, including Ocracoke Island, are open and passable, NCDOT said.
Meanwhile, king tides continue to bring coastal flooding concerns despite easing winds and seas. The National Weather Service said Wednesday afternoon that weakened dunes leave Hatteras Island especially vulnerable.
Sandbags to protect the road before both lanes reopen
Flaggers or an automated flagging system will control traffic through the one-lane detour when it opens.
Once that lane is available, crews will install new sandbags along the dune line to protect the roadway from being undermined. NCDOT will then pave the northbound lane to restore two-way traffic on two lanes.
“That will take a few weeks,” the department said of the sandbag installation.
NCDOT has not announced a date for restoring full two-lane service.
Its Tuesday update had called for placement of a base layer of asphalt Wednesday; the latest update puts the start of paving on Thursday.
Crews have been removing damaged pavement, grading the roadbed and rebuilding protective dunes near the visitor center. Repeated high-tide overwash has complicated the work.
More than 1,100 feet of pavement had been damaged. NCDOT has urged people to stay out of the construction area, whether approaching by road or beach, because entering the work zone creates hazards and slows repairs.
Emergency ferries carry nearly 3,800 people
The emergency ferry between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point continues operating around the clock. Through Tuesday, ferries had carried 2,293 vehicles and 3,785 people on and off Hatteras Island, NCDOT said.
Vehicle capacity remains limited, and travelers should expect waits.
Hatteras Island-bound ferry access remains limited to people who qualify under Dare County’s first three reentry categories: essential personnel; permanent residents and essential personnel for critical businesses; and nonresident property owners and nonresident employees of noncritical businesses.
Ocracoke residents traveling home are also eligible. Travelers must have documentation verifying their eligibility.
NCDOT emphasized Tuesday that qualifying for entry does not provide priority loading. Eligible travelers are loaded on a first-come, first-served basis.
People seeking priority loading for medical appointments or other urgent needs should contact Dare County Emergency Management at 252-475-5655. Requests are reviewed individually.
Dare County’s park-and-ride service offers eligible travelers an alternative to waiting for vehicle space. County vans are scheduled to shuttle passengers from Rodanthe Beach Access and Pointers Field in Stumpy Point to the ferry terminals Monday through Friday, from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Those shuttle hours are separate from the ferry’s 24-hour operation.
The Stumpy Point emergency ferry terminal is at 100 Log Storage Road, south of the entrance to Stumpy Point village.
Wednesday’s update did not announce when visitor access will resume. People with upcoming Hatteras Island reservations should contact their accommodations provider before traveling toward the island.
Flooding concerns continue through Thursday
In its 4 p.m. Wednesday briefing, the weather service’s Newport/Morehead City office said king tides will continue supporting minor coastal flooding through at least Thursday, with greater impacts possible on Hatteras Island because of damaged dunes.
The briefing forecasts 1 to 2 feet of water above ground in vulnerable oceanside areas. Coastal Flood Advisories remain in effect for portions of the Outer Banks and other sections of the eastern North Carolina coast.