Section of NC 12 still closed, operations on all seven ferry routes now suspended
Published 10:22 am Sunday, November 17, 2019
- North Carolina Department of Transportation crews are working Sunday morning, November 17 to clear NC 12 of wind-blown sand from this weekend's storm. NCDOT photo
The North Carolina Department of Transportation reports that as of 10 a.m. on Sunday, November 17, NC 12 is still closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge (Oregon Inlet) and Rodanthe. That section of the road was closed at 5 p.m. Saturday.
NCDOT officials have been assessing N.C. 12 Sunday morning and have not seen any structural damage to the road, but say NC 12 experienced some flooding overwash and wind-blown sand overnight. Sand is covering the road at several locations between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe, with additional overwash experienced at Avon and Buxton. Conditions remain poor and additional overwash is expected at high tide later Sunday morning and night.
![closed](https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2019/11/ncdot-nc-12-11-17-19-300x225.jpeg)
NCDOT photo
Prior to closing the road Saturday, NCDOT crews were using front-end loaders and other equipment to remove sand from the road. NCDOT reports no apparent structural damage to NC 12, but part of the road is covered with sand and overwash.
NCDOT has now suspended operations on all seven ferry routes because of heavy winds and rain pounding the coast.
NCDOT had suspended six of the seven coastal ferry routes by 8 a.m. Saturday and decided at 8 a.m. Sunday to also suspend operations on the Aurora-Bayview ferry that crosses the Pamlico River.
A strong storm bringing heavy rain and sustained winds up to 45 mph has made travel unsafe on parts of the Outer Banks and coastal North Carolina.
Among the ferry routes suspended are the routes headed to Ocracoke Island. Transportation officials say the storm has brought some flooding to Cedar Island, which is one of the ferry routes to Ocracoke. Officials with the Ferry Division will continue to assess the storm’s impacts and announce when it is safe to resume ferry operations.
For updates, follow the Ferry Division on Twitter at @NCDOT_Ferry.
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RELATED:
NC 12 closing from Oregon Inlet to Rodanthe at 5 p.m. due to weather conditions