WRAL Investigates: Does NC 12 Cost Too Much? Story Airs 11/19

Year after year Highway 12 crumbles under the relentless attack of the ocean. Over and over we spend tens of millions to rebuild it. We've heard the questions of many: Why are we spending tax money on a war against nature we can't win? Is rebuilding it the best solution? Is a ferry the answer? It's a complex problem. What do you think the state should do? We'll tackle the complexity of the problem and a part of the financial equation you may not have considered. Story airs Monday, November 19th.

• Category

  News & Politics

[Margaret Myers]

Dare County does in fact provide revenue to NC however NC has provided Dare County with a lot of revenue for Highway 12 in the last several years. Therefore if repaired make it a toll road or utilize ferries, NC residents cannot continue to throw money in the ocean; that is what happens each time they have a hurrican.

[Elizabeth Browning Fox]

Dare County is one of North Carolina's top donor counties. That means that it sends way more tax money to Raleigh than it receives. Hatteras Island is a large percentage of that income for our state. The longer it takes to solve the Highway 12 and Bonner Bridge problem, the more it hurts the entire state, not just the residents of Hatteras Island and folks who'd like to visit there. Southern Environmental Law of Chapel Hill continues to obstruct all progress toward solving the road problem.

[Elizabeth Browning Fox]

We do need a better plan to keep the highway open. Many of the families living on Hatteras Island have lived there for over 300 years. Most of that time they didn't have bridges or ferries. However, Cape Hatteras National Seashore's presence since the early 1950's has gradually changed the economy to largely a tourist-based economy. A ferry system can no longer carry the numbers of people wanting to visit, nor will it allow the numbers necessary to keep the island businesses open.

[msiloverr96]

its silly to keep putting money into something that needs to be fixed year after year. if they can not come up with a permanent fix to keep it up, im sorry for those that live out there, but let it go.