Dare County, N.C. (WTKR) - Several measures are underway to help alleviate summer weekend traffic heading to and from the Outer Banks.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has partnered with Dare and Currituck Counties, along with the Outer Banks Visitor's Bureau on several traffic-easing initiatives.
The focus is on the heavy traffic congestion that occurs on U.S. 158 and N.C. 168 heading to and from the Outer Banks.
"Traffic isn't unusual to us, but we want to make sure visitors have a great time while they are here and if we have an opportunity to help them get here a little bit easier, then we want to do that as well," Outer Banks Visitor's Bureau Executive Director Lee Nettles told NewsChannel 3's Todd Corillo Tuesday.
One thing the Visitor's Bureau is encouraging is traveling on days other than Saturdays.
They have also detailed several alternative routes drivers can take to get to and from the Outer Banks.
All of the alternate routes are available on their special "Get To The OBX Faster!" page.
In addition, NCDOT's Division One traffic office has implemented several traffic improving measures, including:
- No Right Turn on Red - traffic traveling northbound on U.S. 158 is no longer allowed to make a right turn on red to continue north on N.C. 12 at the Kitty Hawk Rest Area intersection. This is in effect from 10am to 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
- "Do Not Block Intersection" Signs - signs have been installed at traffic signals in both directions of U.S. 158 entering and leaving Dare County telling drivers not to block the intersections.
- Traffic Signal and Traffic Camera Monitoring - traffic signal timing will be monitored during peak travel times and adjusted accordingly to allow traffic to flow at optimum levels.
