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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service invite the public to provide input on the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s proposal to realign a section of N.C. Highway 12 near the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center on Hatteras Island.
Public comments will be accepted from Nov. 10 through Nov. 24, 2026.
The USFWS has received a right-of-way application from NCDOT to move approximately 3,000 feet of highway about 150 feet west of its current alignment.
The proposed realignment would require demolition and reconstruction or relocation of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, the NPS managed restroom facility and wastewater system, and associated parking areas.
NCDOT’s proposal is intended to reduce the highway’s vulnerability to coastal hazards, including ocean overwash that has flooded and damaged the roadway and caused multiday closures.
Under the proposal, the visitor center and restroom facility would be reconstructed or relocated to an alternate site nearby.
A small parking area would remain near the existing visitor center to allow for access to the North Pond Wildlife Trail and Refuge impoundments.
Project information and instructions for submitting comments are available on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website.
Additionally, public comments may be submitted via email to alligatorriver@fws.gov or by mail to P.O. Box 1969, Manteo, NC 27954.
Last week, the state Board of Transportation authorized the highway department to proceed with right-of-way acquisition.
NCDOT officials said the department is prepared to advertise the project for bids as soon as permitting and land transfer negotiations allow.
In the meantime, NCDOT crews have begun installing approximately 1,100 sandbags along a 1,600-foot section of N.C. 12 near the visitor center to protect the damaged roadway.
The sandbags, each measuring 15 feet long, are designed to prevent erosion from undermining the highway and damaging the pavement.
Work began Friday, Nov. 6, and is expected to take approximately four weeks. Once the sandbag installation is complete, crews will begin paving a second lane to restore full two-lane access through the area.
N.C. 12 remains open along the damaged corridor, with traffic using a one-lane detour controlled by automated signals.
Long-term N.C. 12 plans
NCDOT and its federal and local partners are also developing a long-term plan to improve access along N.C. 12, including the section currently undergoing repairs.
The Solving Access for N.C. 12 in Dare County (SAND) study is evaluating potential improvements to reduce travel disruptions along the 11-mile corridor between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe.
As part of that process, NCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration will host three public meetings Nov. 17-19 to gather feedback on potential improvements.
The federally funded SAND study is scheduled for completion in summer 2027.
For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.
The Island Free Press contributed to this story.
