Asphalt Arrives!

Today, one of our engineers remarked that he'd never seen anything as beautiful as crews putting down asphalt on the section of N.C. 12 north of Mirlo Beach damaged by Hurricane Sandy and twin Nor'easters. Many fans of our N.C. 12 Facebook page think he's right. And, for good reason.

Folks who live, work and like to visit Rodanthe and places south have had to access those beloved spots via four-wheel drive vehicles or the emergency ferry route for weeks. It hasn't been easy - that we know.

But, the sight of heavy equipment putting down fresh asphalt to rebuild this road that serves as a vital lifeline for so many offers the promise that all the hardship is about to end.

Crews today began putting down the first layer of asphalt, and tomorrow - if the weather holds - they'll add a second layer. As soon as the road is striped and the edges of the road are sloped, then we'll reopen the road to all traffic.

That day isn't far off. We're confident that we can achieve our goal of reopening the highway on or by Dec. 25. What a great Christmas gift that will be!

A Lifeline

The Outer Banks Voice did a nice profile of the emergency ferry service.  Thanks to the good folks there, for this and for all they do for their community!

By the Numbers: Progress!

Over the weekend, N.C. Department of Transportation crews continued working on the temporary solution to reconnect all traffic on Hatteras Island to points north of Mirlo Beach.

Between Friday, Dec. 7 and Sunday Dec. 9, crews filled and placed approximately 160 sandbags along a 0.4-mile section of N.C. 12 at the S-Curves just north of Rodanthe on Pea Island. As of Sunday evening, crews have placed 456 of the 1,800 sandbags needed to create a protective barrier between the ocean and the road. Once all of the sandbags are in place, crews will rebuild the dunes on top of the sandbags.

Crews brought in 495 truckloads of sand from the sand pit in Avon to fill sandbags, build up the dunes and assist with rebuilding the roadway.

In addition, crews installed survey stakes in the road bed in preparation for grading, prior to repaving. All sections of damaged pavement were removed over the weekend. After sandbags are installed at the most heavily damaged parts of the highway, crews will begin rebuilding the road where it was located before the series of storms hit. All work is heavily dependent on the weather and tidal conditions.

Crews hope to open the newly paved lanes of N.C. 12 to all traffic on or by Dec. 25. Until then, four-wheel drive vehicles must continue to pass through checkpoints at the temporary bridge on Pea Island and at Mirlo Beach to travel between Hatteras Island and the mainland. 

We know it's interesting, but...

....we don;t want anyone to get hurt in the NC 12 work zones.  Not in your cars.  And not on foot.  We've had some folks venturing out to take pictures of the work, to get a higher view, etc. But as interesting as it it, with all the heavy equipment out there, and the debris and deep sand  it's just not safe.  We know you understand.  Thanks!

Drips and drabs, odds and ends

A few things to note from today...

4WD Access Route Work Completed

Damaged pavement removed from an area near the S-Curves on NC 12

About an hour or so ahead of schedule, the four-wheel drive access route re-opened in the 3:00 o'clock hour after being closed earlier this morning for maintenance, including work to

level the sand in the areas where tires created deep ruts.  Today's work will result in a safer, more stable ride.

Installation of the culverts on Nov. 29

Crews also removed damaged pavement and graded the road where the four-wheel drive route connects to N.C. 12 -  Mirlo Beach and about 0.4 miles north of the S-Curves. This is part of the work necessary to rebuild and reopen N.C. 12 to all traffic on or by Dec. 25, weather permitting.

Weather...Again

Members of the sandbag crew at work

It was a blustery day out on NC 12 and the wind kicked up from the Northeast.  We're keeping tabs on what the conditions may do in the next 24-48 hours or so.  This nifty interactive map from the folks at the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City shows you the conditions - including wind speeds and gusts and wave height.  Our crews have been installing 15-foot-long sandbags along a 0.4-mile section of N.C. 12 at the S-Curves just north of Rodanthe on Pea Island. This in order to protect the road from ocean overwash.  Drainage culverts have also been installed to help lessen the damage caused by conditions that generate overwash.

The sandbag work was done under the watchful eyes of our very special "offshore inspectors"

Out of the mouths (and artistic eyes) of babes

Priceless.

We love you too, Jack!

One of several thank you letters

posted inside the temporary ferry terminal on the Rodanthe side of the emergency ferry route.  From Hatteras Elementary School

NC 12 Plan Q&A

Q&A about Hurricane Sandy Recovery Efforts along N.C. 12

We’ve gotten a variety of questions about our recovery plans along N.C. 12 in Dare County. We want to answer those questions, so you can better understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.

Q: Why are you rebuilding N.C. 12 in the same place?

A: We’re rebuilding N.C. 12 in the same location at the S-Curves, because it is the fastest way to restore access from Hatteras Island to the mainland. We know it hasn’t been easy for residents and visitors to use the emergency ferry route and the four-wheel drive route to get where they need to go. That is why we’re committed to reopening the highway to all vehicles as quickly as possible. Our goal is to have traffic flowing on N.C. 12 on or by Dec. 25.

Q: Are you considering beach nourishment at the S-Curves?

A: Yes. Beach nourishment is currently under consideration as we work to rebuild and reopen N.C. 12 near Mirlo Beach. We’re working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate this option. No final decision has been made yet.

Q: Can you put down mats on the four-wheel drive route?

A: It is possible to put mats on the soft sand; however, they will only stabilize the route for four-wheel drive vehicles. The mats will not provide a surface stable or level enough for all-wheel drive and two-wheel drive vehicles. Therefore, we have chosen at this time not to use mats, because they would not greatly enhance the level of service we can provide, and they would take a great deal of effort to maintain.

Q: Can you put down gravel on the four-wheel drive route? Why not pave the four-wheel drive “sand road” and put dunes to the east of it?

A:  If we put down gravel or asphalt on the four-wheel drive route, we would be creating a permanent structure on Pea Island that is not inside our property lines. To do that, we would need to get special approval from a number of regulatory agencies. In addition, if we built a road on a new location, we would also need to build a temporary bridge at the overwash area to ensure access during storms. These combined steps would take far longer to implement and open to traffic than our current plan of rebuilding N.C. 12 in the same location, which should be complete on or by Christmas Day. Our goal is to reopen the highway as quickly as possible.

Q: Do you have long-term plans for the S-Curves?

A: Yes. In Rodanthe, the department is considering two options. The first one includes elevating N.C. 12 onto a bridge within the existing easement, which would end just north of the community center and not require beach nourishment. The second option is constructing an approximately 2.5-mile bridge that would extend into the Pamlico Sound and connect back to Rodanthe just north of the community center. These long-term solutions are currently moving through the environmental planning process required by the state and federal governments. We plan to award a contract for construction in the fall of 2013. 

Visit our new N.C. 12 webpage for more information.

We Have a Date!

Calm weather conditions have prevailed in Dare County and our crews have made significant repairs to N.C. 12 and we are now able to move to the next step - a   temporary solution to reconnect all traffic on Hatteras Island to points north of Mirlo Beach. This will be a multi-step process that will include installing sandbags, reconstructing dunes, and rebuilding the road near Rodanthe where Hurricane Sandy and a pair of Nor’easters damaged the highway.

What's Happening Now
Crews are currently placing 15-foot-long sandbags along a 0.4-mile section of N.C. 12 at the S-Curves just north of Rodanthe on Pea Island. In all, 1,800 new sandbags will go in to create a protective barrier between the ocean and the road. Once the sandbags are in place, we'll rebuild the dunes on top of the sandbags.

At the same time, broken pavement will be hauled off from this section of N.C. 12. After sandbags are installed at the most heavily damaged parts of the highway, crews will begin rebuilding the road where it was located before the series of storms hit. And as you know, all work is heavily dependent on the weather and tidal conditions.

Weather permitting, we hope to open the newly paved lanes of N.C. 12 to all traffic on or by Dec. 25. Until then, four-wheel drive vehicles must continue to pass through checkpoints at the temporary bridge on Pea Island and Mirlo Beach to travel between Hatteras Island and the mainland.

Motorists are reminded that any private vehicle larger than a one-ton truck cannot use the route in order to protect access and allow traffic to flow more efficiently. In addition, private trucks with trailers are not permitted. Two-wheel drive vehicles are not allowed on the route under any circumstance.
More information on N.C. 12 recovery efforts is available on our N.C. 12 Recovery webpage and N.C. 12 Facebook page. For the latest details on the emergency ferry route, as well as schedules for our regular ferry routes, call 1-800-BY-FERRY and press 1, or visit the NCDOT Ferry page.

New N.C. 12 Webpage Now Live

We're excited to announce that a new webpage with links to major projects in the planning and construction stages on N.C. 12 along the Outer Banks is now live. You can check it out at http://www.ncdot.gov/nc12/.

This page serves as the central point of information, or as we like to call it around here "the hub," for all things related to N.C. 12. Our goal is to make it easier and faster for you to find the information you're looking for by sending you to one place to get it.

The hub page has clear links to webpages for:

• The Bonner Bridge Replacement Project;
• Long-term solutions for the N.C. 12 breaches caused by Hurricane Irene;
• Bonner Bridge repairs;
• Improvements to N.C. 12 south of Rodanthe; and
• Hurricane Sandy-related recovery efforts.

These pages offer the latest news on our efforts, background information to explain why the projects are needed, links to maps and news releases, photo galleries and videos. Plus, we've added lots of links within the text to help explain the connections between several of the projects.

We invite you to share the new N.C. 12 webpage via Twitter, Facebook, blogs, websites and other platforms. The more people we can inform about our work, the better!

Updates: Temporary Bridge, Rodanthe and The Emergency Ferry

What's Happened? What's Next?

Paving 
As you may know, paving at the temporary bridge was completed yesterday.  Replacement of guardrail is the only remaining work there and that should begin today or tomorrow.  A temporary signal with a one lane traffic pattern will be in place at the temporary bridge until the guardrail is completed.

Paving of the repaired spans on Bonner Bridge were completed on Monday.
 
In an effort to reduce the length of the closed areas that have to be managed, Dare County is moving the checkpoints south of the temporary bridge.  

All other work with the exception of guardrail at the temporary bridge is complete.

S-Curves
At Rodanthe, sandbag installation continues along the east side of NC 12.  The contractor is working from south to north.  Additionally, removal of damaged pavement is set to begin on Monday. 

Monday Ferry Schedule Note
  
On Monday, Dec. 3, the 10 p.m. emergency ferry departure from Stumpy point to Rodanthe will be delayed so that a davit cable for the lifeboat on the Motor Vessel Hatteras can be replaced.  More details.

UPDATE: 4WD Access Opened Ahead of Schedule!

Our crew completed the maintenance work on the four-wheel drive access detour two hours ahead of schedule and it is now open to traffic!

Big, big kudos to the folks out there who worked hard to shore  up the access detour!

NOTE: The weight restrictions on the 4WD access that were initiated Tuesday ARE still in place.

Sandbagging, Thanks, and Kudos

As most of you know, the 4WD access is closed today from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. so that our crews can perform maintenance and repair it in the wake of the workout it's been getting.  Work is also underway to protect it from any future overwash, in the event winter weather kicks the surf up again.

Here are some photos of work to install sandbags near Mirlo:

 These photos come to us from our field staff who take the time to snap the shots and send them to us when they can.  Most of them come from Pablo Hernandez, who is no stranger to this kind of situation.  Check out this profile of him that we posted on this blog last year.  A big thanks to Pablo for his help! Again!

Other notes this morning: Our Pamlico Sound ferries are returning to normal schedules after adding additional routes for the Thanksgiving holiday.

And kudos to the employees of the Ferry Division! They just received the Governor's Award for Excellence!

4WD Closure set for Thursday

The large amount of traffic using the four-wheel drive access route on NC 12 at the S-curves, as well as the condition of the sand is forcing us to close the road tomorrow so that crews can  increase the stability of the sand on the north end of the route.  

The maintenance will also help reduce the likelihood of overwash on the access route as well. 

The four-wheel drive access will be closed Thursday, Nov. 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The traffic volume and sand conditions also forced NCDOT crews to implement vehicle size and weight restrictions.

Since the four-wheel drive route along N.C. 12 on Pea Island opened, a number of vehicles have gotten stuck in the sand and required a tow truck to get them out. This not only causes delays for the other vehicles using the route, but it also damages the makeshift road.

To help protect access and make traffic flow more efficiently, NCDOT is no longer allowing any vehicle larger than a one-ton truck to use the route. In addition, trucks with trailers are not permitted. Two-wheel drive vehicles are not allowed on the route under any circumstance.

Vehicles who do not meet the weight requirements and/or vehicles with trailers are becoming stuck in the sand, and this causes unnecessary back-ups as tow trucks and heavy equipment remove them.
 
Those of you who can use the route - please remember - the ride will be rough as you will be traveling over sand, damaged pavement and some water. On the sandy portions of the route, please follow lane markers.

Other important safety measures to take on the four-wheel drive access:

• Only drive four-wheel drive vehicles with a high ground clearance. Cross-over four-wheel drive vehicles that are lower to the ground may get stuck in the rugged terrain;
• If you drive at night, use extreme caution. There will are no lights staged along the route, so your vehicle’s headlights will offer the only way for you to see;
• Drive slowly;   
• Pay close attention to the temporary traffic signals; and
• All four-wheel drive vehicles are encouraged to lower tire pressure to minimize the chances of becoming stuck.

New Weight Limits for 4WD Access

Since the four-wheel drive route along N.C. 12 on Pea Island opened, a number of vehicles have gotten stuck in the sand and required a tow truck to get them out. Sunday alone, 49 vehicles had to be towed. This not only causes delays for the other vehicles using the route, but it also damages the makeshift road.

To help protect access and make traffic flow more efficiently, NCDOT is no longer allowing any vehicle larger than a one-ton truck to use the route. In addition, trucks with trailers are not permitted.

New Schedule for the Emergency Ferry

MANNS HARBOR — The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division is reducing the total number of runs each day at the Stumpy Point-Rodanthe emergency route from 9 to 8 from each side. The change is to reduce costs and is effective Wednesday, Nov. 28.

The eliminated runs are those with the least amount of traffic and include the 8 p.m. departure from Stumpy Point and the 11 p.m. departure from Rodanthe. Those who use the emergency route are reminded to be patient, as priority status is still in effect.

The Stumpy Point-Rodanthe schedule will be as follows:
•    Departing Stumpy Point at 6 a.m., 8, 10, noon, 2 p.m., 4, 6 and 10 p.m.
•    Departing Rodanthe at 7 a.m., 9, 11, 1 p.m., 3, 5, 7 and 9 p.m.

The N.C. Ferry Division will reinstate these runs should travel demand warrant.

Emergency ferry information is available by calling 800-293-3779 (BY-FERRY) and pressing 1, via Twitter,on Facebook  and on the NCDOT.gov NC 12 page.

Now that it's calmed down a bit...

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the wind, tide and overall weather situation calmed down some and if you're a regular follower of our Facebook page or Twitter account, you know the four-wheel drive access has not been closed quite as frequently.

Four-wheel drive access on Friday, Nov

While surf conditions have calmed considerably,  normal tides are still at the edge of the old road. Traffic through the holiday weekend was very heavy over the four-wheel drive access, which was able to remain open through high tide on Saturday and Sunday.  Today at Rodanthe sandbag installation began at the south end. 

 

So, with the improving weather, what's next?  

  

Our engineers are out looking at the trouble spots today and tomorrow, and are evaluating options.  As soon as details are available we will let you know. 

We've also had some questions regarding other issues related to NC 12, beyond the S-curves/Rodanthe trouble spot:

 

Bonner Bridge: Paving is expected to take approximately one day.  Once that's finished, the crews will then move down to the temporary bridge to begin work.

Signal timing @ temporary bridge: The timing of this signal will not be changed. There was more traffic over the holiday.  Things should be back to a more ‘normal’ rate this week. Also, paving will begin at this site tomorrow and the temporary signal might be replaced with flaggers during paving hours. 

  

Four-wheel Drive Access times: Dare County Sheriff’s Department is escorting vehicles until 10 p.m. Safety and traffic volume are the main reasons for the 10:00 p.m. closure time.