THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 31, 1996 TAG: 9610310322
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HATTERAS ISLAND LENGTH: 49 lines
Surfers, saltwater anglers and other sojourners to this beautiful barrier island will have a safer drive if permits are approved for the construction of three turnouts on North Carolina Route 12.
The state Department of Transportation has received a $150,000 appropriation for building the turnouts. Permits for the project must be approved by state Division of Coastal Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
``What we hope that this will do is allow campers to pull off when there is a lot of traffic behind them, as well as provide a place where fishermen and surfers and other folks can pull off the road safely,'' said R.V. Owens III of Manteo, a member of the state Transportation Board. ``Right now, they're pulling just on the shoulder of the road, and that can be dangerous.''
If approved, the first turnout will be built near Rodanthe, on land owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. N.C. DOT division engineer Don Conner said construction could begin as early as next year. But that hinges on permit approval.
``We're trying to get a special-use permit from the Fish and Wildlife Service,'' Conner said. ``And we're going to have to have a CAMA (Coastal Area Management Act) permit. That takes a 75-day review process. We won't be starting any time soon. But if everything goes smoothly, we could start some time next year.''
The transportation department is working with the Surfrider Foundation to select sites for the turnouts.
``Two of the sites that we have discussed are a mile south of the Bonner Bridge, and where the old S-curves were located outside Rodanthe,'' said Brant Wise, vice-chairman of the environmental advocacy group. ``I've also heard talk of a third site, but that hasn't been decided.''
In addition to promoting traffic safety, the turnouts will help preserve the environment along the main link between Hatteras and the rest of Dare County, Wise said.
``There are multiple areas where people are walking across the beach grass and the dunes,'' Wise said. ``Having people park in designated areas will help ease that and protect the beach grass and the dune structure.''
The facilities will also provide additional parking in Rodanthe, an area where safe parking is at a premium. The Surfrider Foundation is working with Dare County to build a 24-space parking lot in the northern Hatteras Island community.
The turnouts will provide space for parking, as well as space to turn out of traffic. About 7,200 cars travel daily on North Carolina Route 12 on Hatteras Island. by CNB