May 24, 2013
Governor Pat McCrory has declared another state of emergency for Highway 12 connecting the outer banks to the mainland requiring immediate plans to repair the storm battered highway.
The executive order calls for federal and state departments to come up with short and long term plans to resolve the continued problems for NC Highway 12. It serves as the main lifeline for the communities on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. It's also the primary evacuation route.
Governor McCrory's office says the highway has been frequently blocked between the temporary bridge on Pea Island to Rodanthe by overwash due to hurricanes and tidal fluctuations in the past year- including one this month.
After Hurricane Sandy, Governor Beverly Perdue issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for portions of North Carolina including Dare and Hyde counties in October 2012. Continued overwash and flooding since Hurricane Sandy onto the highway has caused it to remain vulnerable.
