DUCK, N.C. — Crews are putting the finishing touches on a project to improve NC Highway 12, Duck Road, in the northern part of the community. They raised a section of the highway to cut down on flooding.
“That particular place on NC-12 was subject to flooding and significant flooding to the point to where the road was impassible,” Town Manager Drew Havens said. “When the road’s impassable, that cuts off the northern part of the town of Duck. And the folks that live in Corolla and Carova in the northern part of Currituck County.”
Teams are expected to finish painting lines on the roadway by Tuesday after paving work wrapped up last week. One of the leaders of this project told News 3 that Fred Smith Construction is five weeks ahead of schedule.
The Living Shoreline and Resiliency Project not only worked to raise the highway but also to create a new buffer along the Currituck Sound shoreline.
“And that dampens the wave energy as it comes across the sound and against the shoreline,” Havens said. “So between the seals and just putting some new, larger armor stone on that shoreline, really protected the road from getting flooded.”
The work has caused traffic disruptions in the area, but neighbors said they were glad to see the improvements.
Outer Banks
Shoreline resiliency project along NC-12 in Outer Banks moves into next phase
“I think it's gonna be so much nicer riding through this area,” said Kate Melia, a Duck resident. "I think it'll be less congested, definitely compared to what it was like during the construction. But even before that, and then we always had problems with flooding here."
This week, crews will also work to fill in some of the sidewalks and plantings. An event celebrating the end of the project is planned for later next month.
