North Carolina Department of Transportation officials have scheduled meetings in September to review the new tolls going into effect next year for the four vehicle ferries that have historically been free to ride.
The 2026 budget law passed in July mandates that the Ferry Division start collecting by Jan. 1, 2027, tolls for the Currituck-Knotts Island, Bayview-Aurora, Hatteras-Ocracoke and Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach ferry routes, and establish a $150 annual pass for permanent residents of 20 North Carolina coastal counties.
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Tolls are currently collected on vehicle ferries servicing Southport-Fort Fisher, Cedar Island-Ocracoke, Swan Quarter-Ocracoke and the Ocracoke Express passenger ferry. The rule calls for tolls to be collected for the untolled routes.
“We are committed to transparency and will communicate regularly, especially with affected communities, as the implementation plan is developed,” Ferry Division Director Jed Dixon said in a release.
The following listening sessions are from 6-8 p.m.:
- Sept. 1: Beaufort County Community College, 5337 U.S. 264 East, Washington.
- Sept. 2: Pamlico Community College Delamar Center, Grantsboro.
- Sept. 3: Knotts Island Elementary School, 413 Woodleigh Road.
- Sept. 8: Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, Hatteras.
- Sept. 9: Ocracoke School, 120 Schoolhouse Road.
The Ferry Division is developing the policies, rate recommendations, payment and collection systems, and infrastructure needed to implement the new tolling program by Jan. 1. The General Assembly has required that NCDOT report to state legislators on the new tolling system by Dec. 1.
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“The timeline is aggressive, with several required milestones before implementation. Division staff will present the proposed tolling plan — including the methodology and recommended rates — to the N.C. Board of Transportation at its Oct. 8 meeting. Ferry leaders will return to the board on Nov. 5 seeking approval of the tolling policy and rate structure before launching the new program,” officials said.
