Date coincides with reopening of north end ferry terminal
Ocracoke Island will reopen to the general public on Friday, November 22. Although NCDOT has made extraordinary progress in repairing NC 12 so that it is available for general use, the decision is somewhat controversial. The damage to Ocracoke Village by Dorian was extensive and many businesses are not ready to open and some business owners have expressed concerns about whether visitors can be accommodated. The Outer Banks Voice has the press release issued by Hyde County.
“Following a recommendation by the Ocracoke Control Group, the Hyde County Board of Commissioners will release access restrictions and reopen Ocracoke Island to visitors on Nov. 22, or immediately upon the reopening of NC 12.
The evacuation order has been in place since Sept. 4, ahead of Dorian’s arrival. When discussing possible dates for reentry to begin, the control group identified two benchmarks that needed to be completed. First, the initial pass of debris removal; this was completed on Nov. 1. The final benchmark is the reopening of NC 12 for all vehicles. NCDOT has targeted Nov. 22 as the date NC 12 will reopen. “
