Outer Banks Highway 12 Section Damaged, Hatteras Island Access Cut Off
A vital stretch of North Carolina Highway 12 in the Outer Banks, near the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, has sustained approximately 500 feet of damage, cutting off access to Hatteras Island. The North Carolina Department of Transportation…
Norfolk Portsmouth Newport News, VA, September 25, 2026 — A significant section of North Carolina Highway 12, a critical route through the Outer Banks, has been damaged, severing access to Hatteras Island. The affected area, located near the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, has sustained approximately 500 feet of damage. The full extent of the damage and the timeline for complete restoration are still being assessed.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has announced plans to establish a temporary one-lane detour. This detour will utilize automatic traffic flaggers to manage vehicle flow. The implementation of this temporary route is contingent upon storm conditions subsiding and allowing for safe operations. Full repairs to the damaged section of Highway 12 are anticipated to take several weeks.
The reopening of the highway, even with the temporary detour, depends on the resolution of ongoing storm impacts and the mitigation of further ocean overwash, which has been a recurring challenge for this coastal roadway. Officials are monitoring the situation closely to determine the safest and most efficient path forward for both repairs and access restoration.
The contractor responsible for repairs and specific timelines beyond the estimated “weeks” for full repairs were not immediately available. The NCDOT is working to provide updates as the situation evolves and repairs are planned and executed.
Highway 12 is known for its vulnerability to coastal weather events, and this latest incident underscores the ongoing challenges of maintaining vital infrastructure in the Outer Banks region. The Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located in close proximity to the damaged section.
Further information regarding the timeline for the detour’s operation and the commencement of full repairs is expected to be released by the NCDOT as storm conditions stabilize.
The contractor’s name was not provided. The timeline for full repairs is expected to be weeks, but this is dependent on the storm clearing and mitigating further ocean overwash.
Story summarized from the original created by Will Thomas on www.wtkr.com, see more information here.
