The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a summer vacation destination for many.
But for some, these barrier islands are home and when the weather turns bad, it's much more than a canceled beach day.
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"I have driven through the curves. When the waves were hitting the side of the car and your tires were getting sucked into the sand on the road," said Natalie Kavanagh, a Hatteras Island local and business owner. "So that was really a bad, bad day."
She has seen some of the very best and worst that Mother Nature can bring to the Outer Banks.
"Hurricanes are a part of life for us," she said. "They are a way of life for us. We know we're going to have them. We generally are prepared for them. If you grew up here and lived here a long time, you're pretty adept at dealing with them."
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One of the biggest weather challenges along the Outer Banks is trying to keep Highway 12 clear of sand and water, especially during hurricanes or nor'easters.
"So this is one vital link and that's it. There's no other way around it," said Jeff Ryder, a NCDOT maintenance engineer. "So it's very important for us to keep it open and safe for the traveling public and the people who are visiting when we have storms and the sand and water become issues that make it unsafe for travel. Some parts of the county. So it's a constant battle for us whenever there are storms."
For years, one of the biggest travel trouble spots was an area known as 'S Curves' between Pea Island Refuge and Rodanthe.
That section of highway had to be rebuilt after Ida in 2009. Irene in 2011 and Sandy in 2012.
"The department needed to do something to maintain a reliable transportation corridor," said Pablo Hernandez, a NCDOT engineer.
After years of studies, planning and construction, a more permanent fix opened in 2022.
"Here at Rodanthe, at the curves we did that very thing is we relocated NC 12 to the new road at the bridge that provides us a reliable corridor so that we don't have to have the road closed for weeks, if not months at a time," Hernandez said.
The new Rodanthe Bridge, also known as the 'Jug Handle Bridge', redirects Highway 12 over the Pamlico Sound, allowing the sand to reclaim the curves for good.
"So just being able to bypass that area is been so nice and it saves a few minutes of the trip down here too. I think it feels like it's a little bit faster," said Kavanagh.
The good news: This section of the drive is safer, more reliable and faster.
The bad news: There's a new number one trouble spot.
"The visitor center is one of our number one hot spots now," said Ryder. "This is the one that will frequently close the road."
North Carolina Department of Transportation is reviewing a feasibility study to examine potential new bridge locations, environmental concerns, utility challenges — like power lines and fiber optic cables — and, of course, funding.
"It's always going to be an issue one part of the island or another," said Kavanagh. "There will be days where you can't drive around. It's just part of life here."
