NCDOT Ready to Help
The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division evacuated 2,181 people and transported 1,074 vehicles from Ocracoke on the Hatteras, Cedar Island and Swan Quarter routes between 1 p.m. Monday and Wednesday morning when the last ferry left Ocracoke. The division suspended ferry operations from Ocracoke after Wednesday morning’s trips. All ferries are being placed in safe harbor and will be secured to different docks until conditions improve.
Highways
NCDOT staff in all 100 counties have prepared equipment for possible clearing efforts, shoulder repairs and crossline replacements that can be used in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. A total of 2,166 employees in all 14 NCDOT divisions have been preparing for Hurricane Florence.
In Division 1, which includes Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington counties, staff have 171 personnel ready to respond with 106 chainsaws, 33 front-loaders, 18 backhoes, 26 motor graders, 387 barricades, 183 road closed signs and 395 high water signs.
In some areas of North Carolina, crews have staged equipment in different areas so it can be available once cleanup and recovery begins. Generators have been checked and readied, and traffic services offices are staging message boards and loading emergency trailers with barricades, signs and drums. NCDOT staff have made arrangements to have contractors on standby ready to respond to any storm-related tasks such as cutting and removing downed trees from roads.
NCDOT is also preparing active transportation projects for potential impacts. Erosion and control measures have been checked and staff are making sure earth-moving equipment and cranes are secure.
Aviation
On the Outer Banks Monday, NCDOT staff flew drones from Hatteras north to Kitty Hawk at all traditional “hot spots” to obtain overhead video of pre-storm conditions. Fifteen NCDOT drones and multiple teams of pilots are being readied for post-event damage assessment. The division is also monitoring the status of North Carolina's public airports.
