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A very intense coastal low forecast to develop very close to Hatteras over the weekend.  If forecast holds high winds and rough surf with moderate /major coastal erosion will be possible.   

Weather updates will be posted here when available. Please also listen to NOAA radio and local media for updates on this potentially damaging storm.  

Progress has again been delayed in the construction of a safe transportation corridor to connect the northern and southern regions of Dare County. Upon hearing of this latest delay during discussions with North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Dare County officials expressed extreme disappointment since a Record of Decision (ROD) was expected any day with a promise that construction would begin this year.

The most recent delay comes following a decision by NCDOT to alter the Preferred Alternative, known as the “short parallel bridge with phased development on Pea Island,” to include the initial construction of the replacement bridge at Oregon Inlet as planned but with future phases being built as needed based on the conditions at the time. Because of this unexpected change, there is now a need for an Environmental Assessment that will delay the Record of Decision (ROD) until June 2010. Construction of the new bridge will not begin until spring 2011 at the earliest.

Federal and state agencies have done environmental studies over and over again since 1993 when the replacement bridge was first due to be constructed, commented Allen Burrus, a businessman from Hatteras Island who serves as Vice Chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners. The Department of Transportation’s recommendation to replace the Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet and create a series of elevated roadway segments over hotspots along Pea Island in phases is the least environmentally damaging and the most economical plan. Let’s get moving on this before people get hurt.

In August 2007, an interagency group reached concurrence that the phased approach was the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative. Joining NCDOT in this decision were the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

According to Beth Midgett who chairs a citizen’s committee to replace the bridge, The nor’easter last fall underscores the urgency for NCDOT to begin work on the construction of a safer and more secure transportation corridor between northern Dare County and Hatteras Island. The storm destroyed approximately 800 feet of Route 12 road surface at the S-curves just north of Rodanthe stopping traffic for five days while NCDOT crews worked day and night to reopen the route.

Special interest groups have stalled and delayed the replacement of the Bonner Bridge. The groups advocate a 17 mile bridge which would make it one of the longest structures in the world. The costs for a bridge of this length are so great that there is no reasonable expectation that the project could be funded now or for the foreseeable future. The long bridge would also prevent visitors and traffic access to Pea Island Wildlife Refuge, a favorite vacation spot for fishermen, bird watchers, families, surfers and, ironically, environmentalists.

These groups have recommended that a toll be charged on the 17-mile bridge to offset construction costs as is planned for the mid-county bridge in Currituck County.

Water’s Edge Village School is applying to become a tuition-free public charter school in Corolla. Over the past year, a group of parents, educators, and children’s advocates has been meeting to discuss the feasibility of starting a school in Corolla. At this time, students must ride the bus for three hours to attend school in Currituck County, making for long days that don’t allow for extra-curricular activities or a healthy homework/free-time schedule. After surveying local parents, holding a public information meeting, and investigating options, the group decided to form a non-profit education foundation, the Corolla Education Foundation. Then, after drafting a comprehensive plan including an integrated curriculum and a hands-on approach to learning, the proposal for Water’s Edge Village School was prepared to submit the State Department of Public Instruction. WEVS will know by July whether they were chosen to fill the spot of the remaining space for a NC Charter School. The new school would open in 2011.  

By enrolling kids who live in Corolla and Carova, kids of parents who work in Corolla year-round, and kids of interested Dare County parents, it is projected the school would have approximately 30 students its first year. Businesses in Corolla often have trouble retaining a consistent workforce, as new families tend to move into Dare County when their children reach school age. In addition, homeowners who want to offer housing to their extended families/ grandchildren cannot do so because of the limited access to education. Data from surveys show that a school could draw children who are currently home schooled into the public system through a small charter such as WEVS, that provides a learning environment with ample attention to each individual child.

A public information meeting will be held at the Pine Island Fire Station in Corolla on Friday, February 5th from 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Community members are encouraged to come for information, kids’ activities, free pasta, and live music. There will be a short presentation and Corolla Education Foundation members will be on hand to answer questions. For more information go to www.watersedgevillageschool.com or call 252.202.8142.

Superintendent Mike Murray has announced that the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA) 2009 annual reports for protected species and a report on the status of off-road vehicle management plan and negotiated rulemaking have been released and are available to the public on the PEPC website under the Interim Protected Species Management Strategy project .

The following 2009 reports have been posted: