Alternate Hatteras Ferry Route Begins Operations Friday

It will be using a temporary alternate route that will operate until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes the channel dredging to re-open the primary route. The new route surveyed by the Corps of Engineers is approximately 10 1/2 miles long and takes about 60 to 70 minutes to cross each way.

The U.S. Coast Guard completed the marking of the alternate route with navigational aids this week. The Ferry Division made day and night dry runs without passengers or vehicles to make sure the channel route was safe, the navigational aids were operating properly and the ferry masters were comfortable with the route.

On Friday, there will be two boats operating on the route. A third ferry will be added starting on Saturday, Feb. 23.

The schedule for Friday will be:

Hatteras Departure Times                                 Ocracoke Departure Times

              5 a.m.                                                                   4:30 a.m.

              6 a.m.                                                                   6:30 a.m.

              8 a.m.                                                                   7:30 a.m.

              9 a.m.                                                                   9:30 a.m.

            11 a.m.                                                                 10:30 a.m.

            12 p.m.                                                                 12:30 p.m.

              2 p.m.                                                                   1:30 p.m.

              3 p.m.                                                                   3:30 p.m.

              5 p.m.                                                                   4:30 p.m.

              6 p.m.                                                                   6:30 p.m.

              8 p.m.                                                                   7:30 p.m.

              9 p.m.                                                                   9:30 p.m.

            11 p.m.                                                                 11:30 p.m.

            12 a.m.                                                                 12:30 a.m.

The schedule starting Saturday, Feb. 23 and continuing until the primary route re-opens will be:

Hatteras  Departure Times                                Ocracoke Departure Times

               5 a.m.                                                                  4:30 a.m.

               6 a.m.                                                                  6:30 a.m.

               7 a.m.                                                                  7:30 a.m.

               8 a.m.                                                                  8:30 a.m.

               9 a.m.                                                                  9:30 a.m.

             10 a.m.                                                                10:30 a.m.

             11 a.m.                                                                11:30 a.m.  

             12 p.m.                                                                12:30 p.m.

               1 p.m.                                                                  1:30 p.m.

               2 p.m.                                                                  2:30 p.m.

               3 p.m.                                                                  3:30 p.m.

               4 p.m.                                                                  4:30 p.m.

               5 p.m.                                                                  5:30 p.m.

               6 p.m.                                                                  6:30 p.m.

               8 p.m.                                                                  7:30 p.m.

               9 p.m.                                                                  9:30 p.m.

             11 p.m                                                                 11:30 p.m.

             12 a.m.                                                                12:30 a.m.

The opening of the alternate Hatteras-Ocracoke route means the extra departures added to the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke route to accommodate vendors and residents have stopped. That ferry route has returned to its regular schedule. The tolling of that route, which had been suspended when the added routes began, resumes Friday, Feb. 22..

The schedule through May 20 will be:

• Swan Quarter to Ocracoke: 10 a.m., 4 p.m.
• Ocracoke to Swan Quarter: 7 a.m., 12:30 p.m.

The schedule for the Cedar Island-Ocracoke route through March 25 will be:

• Cedar Island to Ocracoke:  7 a.m., 10 a.m., 4 p.m.
• Ocracoke to Cedar Island 7:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m.

For more information travelers can sign-up to receive messages on Twitter by going towww.twitter.com/ncdot_ferry or visit the N.C. 12 Facebook page.