As the edges of Hurricane Erin get closer to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, much attention has been placed on Highway 12, a roughly 150-mile-long byway that connects that state’s islands and peninsulas. It is beloved by locals and tourists because of its scenic views of the ocean, sand dunes and old lighthouses.
Parts of the highway near Hatteras Island are expected to flood by Wednesday afternoon as the storm inches north, and officials have warned that some parts could remain impassable for days. The authorities have told people who live on the islands of Hatteras and Ocracoke this week to evacuate by Wednesday morning because emergency crews may not be able to immediately reach those communities once the storm nears.
It’s a frequent routine for the Outer Banks, on the eastern edge of North Carolina. The region juts out into the Atlantic just enough to make it prone to hurricanes, or to a glancing blow as one passes by. The Outer Banks have endured significant damage from rising sea levels and large storm swells.
On Tuesday, the state’s Transportation Department said crews were on Highway 12 trying to get sections of it in “as good a shape as it can be before the storm.” They stacked sand at least 10 feet high in spots along the ocean. But “given the winds, wave heights and storm surge forecast, it likely won’t be enough,” the department said.
By Wednesday, Gov. Josh Stein said that the window was closing for tourists and residents to evacuate. “And if you have not evacuated, make sure you batten down the hatches,” he said.
From Ocracoke, the highway runs north through Duck, N.C. Just a few beachgoers strolled along the choppy shore early Wednesday as officials urged people to stay out of the water because of deadly rip currents. Among those walking the beach was Rick Wash, vacationing from Smithfield, Va., who said that he wasn’t too concerned, but that he was planning to take precautions, such as securing deck furniture and listening to his hand-held radio. “So I can monitor the Coast Guard channels,” he said, as red “no swimming” flags flapped in the wind nearby.
The Transportation Department said that more than 2,000 people had evacuated from the islands of Ocracoke and Hatteras via ferries as of Wednesday morning. Many of them then used Highway 12 to leave the area and move farther inland.
“There’s so many people who live there, there’s much tourism dollars that goes on that road,” Mr. Stein said of Highway 12. “It is an important asset to the state, and we need to do everything we can to protect and preserve it.”
Judson Jones and Eric Athas contributed reporting.
Eduardo Medina is a Times reporter covering the South. An Alabama native, he is now based in Durham, N.C.
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