RODANTHE, N.C. — Front-end loaders, dump trucks and excavators remained hard at work Wednesday pushing sand to reinforce the dune alongside N.C. 12 on the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Multiple areas along this stretch of the highway are most prone to ocean overwash during coastal storms, making N.C. 12 too dangerous to drive on.
As the coastal storm starts to make its impact, there's no mandatory evacuation order because of the storm, meaning there are plenty of people staying on Hatteras Island to finish their vacations.
"It's a new beach experience," said Julie Ross, who's visiting Rodanthe from central Ohio.
News 3 met Ross and Barbara Knudson, who's visiting from Vermont, on the oceanfront in Rodanthe Wednesday afternoon.
"It's just so beautiful, I mean it's really hard to walk away," said Knudson.
Depending on conditions in the coming days, both understand the reality of staying. Both laughed and said "yes" when News 3 Outer Banks Reporter Will Thomas asked if they realized they might be stuck on Hatteras Island at some point.
N.C. Department of Transportation crews have been working to reinforce dozens of yards of dune line from the Marc Basnight Bridge to the Pea Island Visitor Center. Division One Communications Officer Tim Hass said this about the expectation of the overwash conditions forcing a temporary bridge closure:
"I would say it's likely," said Hass.
That closure would obviously be temporary as NCDOT crews clean up the roads and make them safe to reopen the bridge. That cycle occurs mostly when it gets to high tide.
Hass says the evening high-tide cycles Wednesday through Friday are what they are most worried about for bringing hazardous conditions to the highway.
"Our crews are working around the visitor center to try and shore up those dune lines as best they can before the the real brunt of this storm arrives. What we're looking at is over the next few high tide cycles tonight, tomorrow, Friday — That is where we're the most worried about breaches in that dune line and hazardous travel on NC 12," said Hass.
NCDOT understands the importance of N.C. 12 as Hatteras Island's lifeline, but during conditions like this, safety takes top priority.
"We realize that this is the only road connecting Hatteras Island with the northern beaches, so we try to keep it open as long as we can. But if conditions get hazardous, we don't hesitate to close it," said Hass.
Knudson has stayed in a Rodanthe home that sits just feet away from the ocean for years during her visits. While she rides out the storm, she'll be taking in the experience as well.
"It does get a little bouncy when the wind blows. It's amazing to be on the deck when the waves come up to it," said Knudson.
NCDOT crews are on standby to respond at any time the overwash breaches the dune and impacts N.C. 12. The conditions will persist for the next few days, and every driver is encouraged to check DriveNC.gov before they travel and be as safe as possible.
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