Citing costs related to a coastal storm earlier this month that required the closure of a portion N.C. 12 on the Outer Banks, Gov. Roy Cooper has declared a state of emergency to allow the state to access federal highway funds.
The coastal storm and high tides combined to bring heavy winds, rain, significant flooding and ocean overwash to the Outer Banks, forcing the closure of N.C. 12 Nov. 7-9 from the Marc Basnight Bridge to Rodanthe.
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“This state of emergency will help our Department of Transportation get federal funds to pay for the costs associated with this storm, including repairs to the dunes that protect the highway,” said Cooper.
The state has requested aid from the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief Program to address damages from the storm.
The state of emergency is in effect for Dare and Hyde counties for 30 days, or the duration of the emergency, whichever is less.
A state of emergency allows government officials quick access to resources that allow them to manage a crisis and return things to normal enables and seek state or federal funding aid for disaster response if it is warranted to take extra measures to protect the public.
