May 24, 2013
Shoaling continues to plague the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route, and state officials say it could take a while longer before the run returns to a normal schedule.
The N.C. Department of Transportation is monitoring the situation, meaning motorists will encounter more suspensions and weight restrictions due to extreme shoaling of the Hatteras Inlet channel. For the past several weeks, operations have been suspended daily during low water.
Shoaling in the channel has been an ongoing issue, but Hurricane Sandy, two back-to-back nor'easters and several winter storms have contributed to the problem. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working to resolve the situation, and a dredging contract has been issued to address the channel shoaling. The department said it could be several weeks before the dredging takes care of the problem.
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