North Carolina Lawmakers Discuss Multi-Million Dollar Solutions for Vulnerable N.C. 12, Emphasizing Federal Funding Need
North Carolina state lawmakers and Dare County commissioners convened a town hall in Buxton to discuss potential solutions for the increasingly vulnerable N.C. 12 highway, particularly near the Pea Island Visitor Center. Estimates for a temporary relocation range from $6 million to $9 million, while a permanent bridge could cost hundreds of millions, potentially up to $750 million. State legislators, including Sens. Jerry Tillett, Michael Lazzara, and Norman Sanderson, and Rep. Keith Kidwell, stressed that North Carolina lacks the financial resources for such a major project independently, making substantial federal funding essential. The discussion also touched upon the millions already spent on maintaining the highway and the economic importance of N.C. 12 to the tourism-dependent economies of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy and U.S. Sen. Ted Budd have been contacted regarding the highway's needs.
