Hurricane Irene Aftermath

Gov. Bev Perdue today announced a temporary plan to return traffic to all of Highway 12 on Hatteras Island. The plan involves the placement of a temporary bridge and will allow traffic to flow in less than one month.

Gov. Perdue has secured federal funding to cover the costs of the repairs.

NCDOT, after consulting with more than 75 experts from partner agencies, contractors and scientists will install a temporary, manufactured bridge across the largest breach just south of the Bonner Bridge and fill all other breaches.

This plan should restore normal traffic to Highway 12 within one month.

This short-term solution provides time for The North Carolina Department of Transportation to develop a comprehensive, long-term plan by collaborating with agency partners and experts, as well as state, local, and federal officials.

The temporary repair plan along Highway 12 is estimated to cost $10 million. It will be completely paid for by federal emergency funds that Gov. Perdue secured.

Gov. Perdue has directed NCDOT to work closely with all partners to develop a long-term plan as soon as possible.

Also, the Friends of Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges posted on its Facebook page yesterday that refuge officials will go along with the state’s plan to replace the highway.

The Facebook entry says:

This is current information direct from the refuge manager...Refuge Manager Mike Bryant, Refuge Biologist Dennis Stewart, and Raleigh ES Supervisor Pete Benjamin met with NCDOT and other agencies yesterday to discuss ideas of ways to restore access to Hatteras Island as quickly as possible.

Mike Bryant gave verbal approval for NCDOT to do whatever work was necessary to repair NC Highway 12 within their existing ROW [right-of-way] on Pea Island NWR. An emergency special use permit has been prepared and is ready to be issued, as soon as NCDOT requests one.

Bryant added that USFWS has always permitted emergency actions of this nature and has never caused delay in restoring the highway after a storm.

Additional details on the NCDOT temporary plan are expected to be available later today at: http://www.ncdot.gov/travel/nc12recovery/