Work underway to repair and replace sandbags on Ocracoke Island; Single-lane closure in effect on N.C. 12
A project to repair and replace sandbags along N.C. Highway 12 on the north end of Ocracoke Island is underway, and a single-lane closure is in effect due to the ongoing work, per an update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
“While work is in progress, there will be a short single-lane closure monitored by temporary traffic signals,” stated NCDOT in an April 16 update. “Please drive with caution and slow down while in the area.”
Ocracoke Island visitors should allow extra time for minor travel delays, especially when heading north to catch the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry.
The project, which initially began in March 2024, will replace approximately 800 sandbags that were recently damaged or displaced in order to restore the protective barrier between N.C. Highway 12 and the Atlantic Ocean. The work will take an estimated 10 days, depending on weather conditions.
In February 2020, 2,500 sandbags were placed along 4,200 feet of roadway on the north end of the island in response to the lingering effects of 2019’s Hurricane Dorian.
An upcoming state pipeline dredging project is also expected at South Dock on Ocracoke Island in the near future, which will result in an additional 37,000 cubic yards of sand that could be deposited on top of the sandbags. The project is expected to begin by the end of the month.
