UPDATED, 12 p.m.: The N.C. Department of Transportation says N.C. 12 between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe has reopened to traffic as of noon, Wednesday.
The stretch of N.C. 12 on Pea Island has been closed since 5 p.m. Saturday, after the powerful coastal storm washed out several dunes and blew sand and ocean overwash onto the road.
No structural damage has been found to the pavement. NCDOT crews and contractors have been working since Monday to clear the road of sand and debris.
The Island Free Press reported patches of deep sand and standing saltwater remained on sections of N.C. Highway 12 and in local oceanside neighborhoods on Wednesday morning
Sand and saltwater was reported in central Avon near Ocean View Drive, in northern Hatteras and north Buxton, and north of Rodanthe and Pea Island.
Flood waters had noticeably diminished by Wednesday, and N.C. 12 was passable from Rodanthe to Hatteras village. Hatteras Island schools also resumed their normal schedules on Wednesday.
The Hatteras-Ocracoke-Silver Lake ferry route also resumed service on Wednesday. Access is still restricted to Ocracoke residents, non-resident property owners and those permitted by Hyde County.
Ferries are still not running on the normal Hatteras Inlet route, due to flooding of the sand bypass around the sections of N.C. 12 under repair on the north end of Ocracoke Island.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore campgrounds at Cape Point and Frisco reopened on Wednesday. The Oregon Inlet campground reopened on Monday.
