THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, January 7, 1995              TAG: 9501070216
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: RALEIGH                            LENGTH: Short :   33 lines

$1.5 MILLION IS OK'D TO STUDY MAINTENANCE OF OUTER BANKS ROAD

North Carolina's highway officials appropriated $1.5million on Friday to study ways to keep N.C. Route 12 open through the Outer Banks.

At a regular meeting of the N.C. Department of Transportation Board, the 23-member group approved the first money ``for planning and environmental studies for maintaining the existing roadway.'' Studies will be jointly conducted with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Other money could be allocated in the future.

The $1.5 million will be used to study 64 miles of the two-lane beach road, from the south end of the Oregon Inlet bridge through Ocracoke Island.

In recent years, storms have carried waves and piles of sand across the highway. Officials had to close N.C. Route 12 on Hatteras Island at least four times in 1994.

Residents say they want a long-term solution to keeping the highway open.

North Carolina Route 12 is the only road connecting Hatteras Island with the world.

North Carolina Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Dare, has pledged his help.

A local committee will be appointed to help study options for saving the road. by CNB