By admin 
Fierce winds and large breaking waves have ripped up a large section of North Carolina’s famous coastal highway N.C. 12, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.
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The damaged section is part of a 14-mile stretch that was closed Monday from the Marc Basnight Bridge to Rodanthe.
“N.C. 12 has sustained (around) 800 feet of pavement damage at the Pea Island Visitor Center,” the DOT reported Wednesday morning.
“In total, 1,800 feet of protective dunes have now been lost at the visitor center, as continuous waves have pounded the dune and undermined N.C. 12. Also in the area of the road closure, significant blown sand is present in the canal zone.”
The damage comes just over two weeks after the state repaired a 500-foot section of N.C. 12 that was torn apart during a storm in late September.
The highway reopened Oct. 3, only to be closed Oct. 19 for the latest nor’easter. The storm has lingered nearly a week off North Carolina, creating prolonged impact on the Outer Banks.
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“Substantial” beach erosion has been reported from Nags Head to Buxton, sides streets have flooded in Rodanthe, and ocean water seeped through dunes between Hatteras Village and Frisco, leaving 4 inches of saltwater on the highway, officials said.
Dare County declared a state of emergency for Hatteras Island on Friday and called for a mandatory evacuation of tourists who might become trapped by closed roads and cancelled ferries.
N.C. 12 remains closed from the Marc Basnight Bridge to Rodanthe, with no projected opening date.
“Crews are assessing pavement damage to N.C. 12 … and fortifying undamaged areas with protective sand on the road shoulder and rebuilding the protective dunes,” state officials said.
“Further south, N.C. 12 is open on Ocracoke Island. No overwash has been reported there.”
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