Release: Immediate
Contact: Shelley Winters, (919) 733-2522
Date: March 4, 2008

OCRACOKE ISLAND BRIDGE WORK COMPLETED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, N.C. 12 OPENING WEDNESDAY
Some weekday lane closures taking place to complete final work

RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Transportation will reopen N.C. 12 on the northern part of Ocracoke Island beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, 10 days ahead of schedule.

NCDOT personnel closed access to N.C. 12 on Jan. 2, to replace seven bridges on the island. Those bridges have now been replaced.

To complete paving, guardrail and shoulder work, one of two lanes along N.C. 12 on Ocracoke Island may be closed from Thursday, March 6, to Thursday, May 15. Closures may take place anytime from 7 a.m. on Monday to noon on Friday. No work will take place on the weekends. Work also will not take place from 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, to noon on Monday, March 24, to accommodate motorists traveling for the Easter holiday.

Motorists should note that the four-wheel-drive detour between the National Park Service campground and the Pony Pens to access the village of Ocracoke has been discontinued and that ferry routes will resume their regular schedules on Thursday, March 6. Visit the NCDOT Ferry Division's Web site at www.ncdot.org/transit/ferry/routes or call 1-800-BY-FERRY for current schedules.

NCDOT reminds motorists to stay alert and travel at non-peak times, when possible. Plan ahead before driving by visiting NCDOT Traveler Information Management System Web site at www.ncdot.org/traffictravel or call 511, the state's toll-free travel information line for current travel conditions.

 
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