BUXTON, N.C. — Over a mile-long pathway now connects Highway 12 to one of the most beloved parts of the area: the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
The project for the multi-use path was years in the making. Before its opening, locals and visitors would need to get in their cars to travel from Highway 12 to the lighthouse. But not anymore — now, it not only gives people more access but also highlights some of the pieces that make the area so special.
The path is not just an area people can walk, run, bike or rest on. Along the path are historical markers of the lighthouse move and educational exhibits, all spotlighting the area.
“One of the highlights of this particular path is that from where we're standing here, goes down the move path," Dave Hallac, the superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, said. "The move path is the path that the lighthouse took when we moved it 2900 feet in 1999.”
The around $3.5 million project was made possible by Outer Banks organizations and the community through a number of donations.
“It's great to see the job that's been done, you know, the amount of thought and design work that was put in," Trip Forman, the president of the board of directors for Outer Banks Forever, said. "Just the enjoyment that you see on a daily basis, with people walking the path, running kids in strollers and families on bikes. It's it's an incredible thing to be a part of.”
