Hwy. 12 Closed on Ocracoke

From Hyde County Emergency Management:

9pm on Saturday, September 26th: Based on our last check of the Ocracoke road conditions, the Hyde County Emergency Services Department anticipates reopening Irvin Garrish Highway/Highway 12 at 4:00 AM tomorrow (9/27/2015). We will be conducting additional road condition checks tonight and in the morning, but at this time, citizens can tentatively plan for the reopening to occur at 4:00 AM and we will update the status if necessary.

The North Carolina Ferry Division plans to resume normal operations between Ocracoke and Hatteras tomorrow morning, but ultimately the schedule will be dictated by the weather conditions.

From Hyde County Emergency Management:

Irvin Garrish Highway/NC Highway 12 on Ocracoke has been officially closed this morning due to flooding and over wash estimated to be two feet in depth. The impacted area is between mile markers 77 and 73, or more commonly called the Pony Pens and the Ocracoke-Hatteras Ferry Terminal. The National Park Service has deployed barricades just past the Pony Pens parking area.

Additionally, all ferries scheduled to run between Ocracoke and Hatteras have been suspended until the road conditions improve. The NCDOT Ferry Division will be activating the digital message boards to notify motorists that the road is closed.

Beach driving conditions has also been affected by the high surf and severe weather. According to the latest press release by the National Park Service, ramp 59 and ramp 72 (South Point Rd.) on Ocracoke are currently closed. 

For further information please check:

• the Hyde County Emergency Services Department facebook page
• the NCDOT HWY 12 facebook page or NCDOT HWY 12 twitter page
• the NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore facebook page or NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore twitter page

From NCDOT: 

N.C. 12 on Ocracoke Island has closed this morning between the Pony Pen and the Hatteras/Ocracoke Ferry Terminal due to flooding from heavy rains. There is not an estimated schedule for reopening the road at this time.

Locations along N.C. 12 in this area are reported to have approximately one foot of water on the road, and are impassable. Drivers on N.C. 12 coming from Ocracoke Village will be able to turn around in the Pony Pen parking lot.

Due to this closure, the Hatteras/Ocracoke Ferry has shut down service this morning. Other ferry routes are also being impacted by the storm, including the Pamlico River and Cherry Branch ferries. Riders are advised to call the appropriate ferry terminal ahead of time to make sure that their run has not been delayed or cancelled. Phone numbers can be found on the Ferry Division website. Regular updates on ferry routes can also be found on Twitter.

No other road closures are reported at this time; however, there are areas of standing water along N.C. 12 on Hatteras Island south of the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge. The road is open and passable, but drivers should proceed with caution and avoid driving through standing water if possible. Updates will be posted on the NCDOT N.C. 12 Facebook page as they are received.

For real-time travel information, call 511, visit the Traveler Services section of NCDOT.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.