DARE COUNTY, N.C. — Neighbors in Manns Harbor want drivers traveling to and from the Outer Banks to slow down. The speed limit through the small community is 40 mph, but drivers often speed past that limit.
“We want people to come to our number one tourist destination, but we also have a lot of workforce that comes through here; we have a lot of people who live here, and the traffic is just way too fast,” said Robin Mann, president of the Manns Harbor Civic Association. “We want people to slow down and enjoy the life they’re coming to live for a few days.
Mann and a group of neighbors appeared before Dare County Commissioners on Monday asking for support in their efforts to get the North Carolina Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit through the community to 35 miles per hour as well as add more signage reminding drivers to slow down.
The mission is personal for Timmy Midgett, who is vice-president of the association. His sister died after being hit by a car in 2010.
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“My sister stepped out of the White’s [Food Store] parking lot and got killed," Midgett told commissioners. “It was 40 [MPH] then. That’s the issue we’re running into … we’re not asking for a lot.”
County commissioners agreed to press state officials to make the changes. And in the meantime, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina Highway Patrol will continue enforcement efforts.
A NCDOT spokesperson told News 3 that the agency has already addressed some of the concerns regarding vegetation and sightline issues. It has also added painted markings indicating the speed limit. It will continue to monitor the situation.
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“NCDOT will continue to monitor the situation in Manns Harbor as we get closer to the season and determine if there are other effective solutions that could help with the speeding issues,” the agency said in a statement.
Mann said she understands the need to keep traffic flowing but said neighbors will continue their push for safety.
“I don’t want to see lanes of traffic backed up on the bridge," Mann said. "That’s not what I’m looking to do. But I am looking to make this intersection and make this commercial zoned area more safe.”
