Sunday roads update: Most roads in southeastern NC impassable
RALEIGH
Think twice before you attempt to drive on any road in southeastern North Carolina.
The storm surge and heavy rain from Hurricane Florence have made roads, streets and highways impassable in that part of the state. And on Saturday, the N.C. Department of Transportation advised that all roads south of U.S. 64 and east of Interstate 73/74 be avoided.
I-73/74 runs vertically from Asheboro to Richmond County, which borders South Carolina. U.S. 64 stretches from Raleigh past Nashville and Tarboro to Plymouth on the coast.
Florence hovered over southeastern North Carolina and South Carolina overnight Saturday, dumping record amounts of rain. In many cases, flooding blocked motorists from some of North Carolina’s key thoroughfares.
To avoid I-95, DOT suggested “an extremely long detour” for southbound drivers: use I-64 West in Virginia to I-81 south, to I-75 south in Tennessee to I-16 East in Georgia back to I-95. DOT suggested the inverse route for northbound drivers.
DOT’s update Saturday night came after it had previously announced road closings on U.S. 70 between Kinston and New Bern; U.S. 17 from New Bern south to the Jones County line; U.S. 421 near the USS North Carolina battleship in Wilmington and U.S. 264 in several areas, including downtown Washington, on both sides of Belhaven and west of Swan Quarter.
Road closures began Thursday near the coast, as the tidal surge overtopped low-lying roads. N.C. 12 is closed on Hatteras Island, and parts of U.S. 70 are shut down between Beaufort and Atlantic, as floodwaters covered the pavement in numerous places, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Many roads and streets in Craven County are also flooded, including East Front Street in New Bern. The Trent River drawbridge is closed, and the ramp from southbound U.S. 17 on to Front Street has collapsed.
Read more (Includes videos): https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article218351395.html#bigNews=related_story
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This will make things very difficult for first responders and rescue teams. With associated power and communications outages, I fear most for those trapped who have disabilities or illness or perhaps no food, water or shelter. As usual, those with no voice will suffer the most and the hangover from this ordeal will be with us for months.
In addition, damage to personal property, businesses and infrastructure will be astronomical. This affects at least one-half of an entire state, plus that in South Carolina and other areas not yet hit. I can see insurance rates for all coastal regions inching upward as we speak.
I just hope that we the American public are not too disaster fatigued and we pony-up to fund the associated charities that will help those most in need......
Last edited Wed Sep 19, 2018, 11:53 AM - Edit history (1)
They are also being guarded by LEOs. It's a big old mess, anyway you slice it. Stay safe KY_EnviroGuy.
I have a dear friend here in KY that has an aunt in a nursing home there that she has not yet heard from, and we're seeing so much in the news about people having difficulty just getting basic supplies and gasoline.
Never occurred to me before about Wilmington being on a peninsula due to the Cape Fear River. Those low country highways are highly vulnerable to flooding, with so much water draining down from up-state.
Let's hope supplies can be hauled in for them very soon, but we have to remember that the entire eastern half of NC will have pressing needs as well. So, someone has to set priorities.
To everyone in the flood zone.......
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The website drivenc.gov is supposed to have updated roadway information but I don't know if it does. Be prepared to meet law enforcement on the roadways as many are manning posts in dangerous areas. Best option is to just stay put if you can. If you do take to the road make sure to have plenty of gas as you will likely have to go around your elbow to get to your thumb, as the saying goes. Good luck!
