Outer Banks Times

Town of Duck issued the following announcement on Dec. 18.

Scheduled to take place during the late fall and winter months in 2022-23, the Town’s coastal resiliency project along the stretch of Duck Road (N.C. Highway 12) and the Currituck Sound has been deferred by the Town of Duck until 2023-24. 

You may recall that this multi-faceted project is intended to significantly improve this stretch along Duck Road (N.C. Highway 12) by restoring the natural habitat and stabilizing the shoreline along the Currituck Sound, providing ADA accessibility and alternative means of travel for pedestrians and bicyclists, raising the elevation of Duck Road to reduce its vulnerability to flooding, and installing a stormwater management system to improve water quality in the Currituck Sound.   In support of the various project components, the Town has been awarded grants from a variety of funding partners including the N.C. Division of Emergency Management, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Dare County Tourism Board, and Dare County Soil & Water Conservation.  However, the largest portion of this $2.8 million project’s financing comes from a substantial grant through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC) program.  The Town has been informed of this grant award by FEMA, pending final review of the project by federal agencies.  As this review may take several additional months, it has become clear that the Town will not be able to construct the proposed project within the originally intended timeframe. 

In addition, the Town is still undergoing review for permits from applicable state environmental agencies.  As it appears this permitting process may involve minor amendments to the proposed plans, it may also take additional months to complete before construction will be permitted.  The Town’s consulting engineers with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) have completed and submitted detailed designs, site plans, and specifications for the project.  Following the initial reviews, VHB has submitted additional information, design changes, and responses to FEMA and state agencies.

Due to the need for lane closures during construction of the project, the project can only be constructed during the off-season as construction will involve occasional lane closures.  N.C. Highway 12 serves as the sole access road for over 80,000 residents and visitors located in Duck and Currituck County north of the project area during the summer months.  The timing of the BRIC grant funding and state agency review makes it infeasible for the Town to construct the coastal resiliency project in this year’s construction cycle, meaning that project construction is unlikely to begin earlier than mid-October 2023.

Although disappointed that the project will not proceed this year, the Town recognizes the significant financial benefits of obtaining the BRIC grant.  With the BRIC grant and other funding sources, it’s estimated that the Town may not incur any expense for the $2.8 million cost of this project, making this project an extraordinary example of stretching your tax dollars to achieve substantial public benefits.  Deferral of the project will also allow more time to revise easements as necessary along the eastern side the project.

Please contact Joe Heard, Director of Community Development, with questions regarding the coastal resiliency project or BRIC grant.

Original source can be found here.