North Carolina officials aim to reopen Ocracoke highway by Thanksgiving

OCRACOKE, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Transportation aims to reopen the only highway on Ocracoke Island in time for Thanksgiving.

The department says in a news release that it's already coordinated with the National Park Service and other agencies and has a detailed repair plan for N.C. Highway 12, which suffered what NCDOT describes as "catastrophic damage."

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Work will include a reconstruction of the dune line protecting the roadway and complete rebuilding of about 1,000 feet of roadway. The N.C. Ferry Division's Dredge Manteo will pump sand from the old Hatteras ferry channel to supply sand for reconstruction of the dune.

The contract sets a target a date of Nov. 22 for reopening the roadway, with incentives for opening early.

Final completion is set for April 30.

Associated Press