The North Carolina Department of Transportation expects to reopen N.C. 12 on Pea Island to northbound traffic on Wednesday morning.
The section of highway between the Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe has been closed since the early morning hours of Sept. 24, when a 1,000-foot section of pavement near the Pea Island Visitor Center was damaged by repeated ocean overwash during a powerful nor’easter.
After tidal conditions eased Sunday, work began on re-creating a protective sand dune along the highway while removing asphalt and grading for a one-lane onsite detour. Work continued early this morning, and crews are now confident that a Wednesday morning reopening will take place.
NCDOT will announce the N.C. 12 reopening on social media and by news release. People can also check DriveNC.gov for traffic updates.
Upon reopening, the temporary detour will be open only to northbound traffic until congestion is cleared. There is currently no timeline for when the road will reopen to southbound traffic. Traffic volume is expected to be very high upon reopening, so motorists are advised to be patient and drive through the area with extreme caution.
After congestion on the Hatteras side is cleared, Dare County officials will announce when southbound traffic will be allowed. At that point, the one-lane detour will be controlled by automated signals.
Meanwhile, the emergency ferry route between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point will remain in operation on its 24-hour-a-day schedule until traffic congestion on Hatteras Island subsides and officials determine the route is no longer required.
For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.
