Work will soon begin on an emergency project to protect the Ocracoke South Dock ferry basin and vehicle stacking lanes from encroaching shoreline erosion.

An aerial photo showing the location of the bulkhead construction project on the north end of Ocracoke Island.

The N.C. Department of Transportation this week awarded a $1.9 million contract to Carolina Bridge of Orangeburg, S.C. for construction of a 1,000-foot bulkhead on the north end of Ocracoke Island to help slow the erosion. NCDOT is also purchasing about $2.1 million of materials for the project, bringing the total cost to $4 million.

The work is expected to begin the week of July 10 and is expected to be complete by December 20. 

The bulkhead is the first of two projects to address shoreline erosion at the site. A project to construct a groin system adjacent to the bulkhead is in the planning and permitting stages. The National Park Service is accepting public comments on that portion of the project.