The N.C. Department of Transportation has crews and equipment working all along NC 12 on the Outer Banks to clear sand and water from the highway, and to begin determining next steps for repairs.

Those efforts, as of Wednesday afternoon, include:

Kitty Hawk

US 158: Crews began pumping overwash back into the ocean Tuesday morning and continued through the night. They used nine pumps to get the water low enough to reopen the highway to traffic early Wednesday morning. Some standing water remains along the outside lanes.

Crews continue to pump water back into the ocean between US 158 and NC 12 (Beach Road), where significant flooding remains on local roads.

NC 12: One section of Beach Road just north of Kitty Hawk Road has significant pavement damage, and the protective dunes were washed away.

Crews are using nine pieces of equipment to clear sand and debris from Beach Road elsewhere in Kitty Hawk. Most of this area is already open to traffic or will be later on Wednesday.

Bonner Bridge

Initial structural inspections on Tuesday determined that the bridge was safe for use by emergency vehicles. NCDOT and contractors working on NC 12 south of the bridge are using it to access Pea Island. The inspection did indicate repairs are needed on tension cables within the bridge deck on several spans, and the department is working to award an emergency contract for these repairs. The initial scour inspection also occurred Tuesday afternoon, and no noticeable change in water depth around the bridge’s support columns was detected. Additional surveys using side-scan sonar will take place Wednesday or Thursday. The bridge cannot open to traffic until NC 12 is repaired, and the bridge repairs are expected to be complete before the roadway repairs.

NC 12 Pea Island

Crews have 15 pieces of equipment – working from north to south, clearing sand and water from the roadway between Bonner Bridge and the temporary bridge, utilizing NCDOT and contractor equipment. Additional equipment will be moved from Kitty Hawk as that area gets cleared.

Sand on the roadway is 3 to 4 feet deep in places.

More than three miles of dunes have been lost or severely damaged.

Initial inspections of the temporary bridge are continuing.

At Rodanthe, surveyors are conducting a survey Wednesday to establish the extent of damage.

NC 12 Hatteras Island

Some sand remains on the roadway at a few isolated locations, but the road is open to traffic from Rodanthe to the Hatteras Ferry terminal. Crews are using three pieces of equipment to continue to clear the road.

NC 12 Ocracoke

Crews are running four pieces of equipment as they continue to clear sand from the roadway. They have made enough progress to open both lanes on Thursday. The Hatteras – Ocracoke ferry resumed operation at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.  The Hatteras-Ocracoke schedule will be: Departing Hatteras at 6 a.m., 8, 10, noon, 2 p.m., 4, 6, 8, 10 and midnight; and Departing Ocracoke at 5 a.m., 7, 9, 11, 1 p.m., 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.

The department is working with other state and federal agencies, as well as contractors, to determine next steps and a timeline for repairs. Initial estimates are that the most extensive damage, at Rodanthe and Kitty Hawk, could take several weeks to repair; however, the department will have a more specific time estimate over the next several days as more information is known.

NCDOT reminds residents and visitors in these areas not to drive through standing water. Just one foot of water can float many vehicles. If you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and find another, safer route.

The department urges motorists to “know before you go” about travel conditions in eastern North Carolina. For real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter/.

Emergency ferry route activated

The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has activated the emergency route between Stumpy Point and Rodanthe. Currently the ferries are not running a set schedule, but are taking the top three priorities as announced by Dare County and will begin a set schedule.

According to Dare County Emergency Management, Priorities One, Two and Three will have access to and from Hatteras Island. Visitors will not be allowed to enter Hatteras Island yet, but will be allowed to depart. Essential commodities, as determined by DCEM will have top priority.

Priority One includes – Essential personnel (utilities, government, assessment teams, medical/health care), white Disaster Re-entry Permit/Critical Personnel Pass required;

Priority Two includes – Hatteras Island residents (must have a valid NC driver’s license with Hatteras physical address), personnel of crucial businesses (Orange re-entry permit/Priority II personnel pass required); and

Priority Three includes – Non-resident property owners and employees of Hatteras Island businesses (2012-2013 Burgundy reentry permit required).

There will be law enforcement in place at the emergency route to determine re-entry status. Please contact Dare County Emergency Management at (252) 473-5655 for additional information on re-entry guidelines.

The Pamlico Sound routes have returned to a normal schedule, with no restrictions for visitors to Ocracoke Island.

Hyde County Emergency Management is allowing re-entry of visitors. Reservations, pending availability, are being accepted and can be made by calling (800) 293-3779 and pressing 2 or online at www.ncferry.org.

The fall Pamlico Sound schedule beginning Wednesday is:

Departing Cedar Island and Ocracoke at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.;

Departing Swan Quarter at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and

Departing Ocracoke to Swan Quarter at 7 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Thursday under specific re-entry guidelines.