BUILD THE MARINER HIGHWAY!

YOU CAN HELP!

The "Mariner Highway" is a concept that will provide a simple, direct and grand entrance to the Down East Communities in Carteret County, North Carolina. The primary purpose of this project is to provide a safe, alternative avenue for the evacuation of the Down East communities by both raising the highway surface elevation and by providing an alternative route over to Highway 101, which doesn't flood.

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The North River "fill", or the causeway crossing the marsh on the west side of North River, floods during storms and even during "king tide" events. Highway 70 to the south (between East Carteret High School and Beaufort) also floods, as does Merrimon Road to the north, between East Carteret High School and Laurel Road. And even though it floods frequently to the point of being impassable, the Merrimon Road/Laurel Road route is the designated evacuation avenue for Down East in the event of a storm.

Secondary benefits of this project are better traffic flow for servicing the parents and students at East Carteret High School and a more direct entrance to and from the Down East communities. In view of this close relationship with East Carteret High School and the Down East Communities, we are calling this project the "Mariner Highway."

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Predominantly, the area where this highway is proposed is owned by Wysocking Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. Wysocking owns approximately 97% of the land through which the highway is proposed and is willing to donate the right-of-way for the construction of this project. (See the attached diagram/map of the highway along with the Wysocking property lines.)  The remaining 3% of the needed highway right-of-way (approximately 560 feet) is owned by a non-consenting property owner.

Carteret County is currently working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation in updating its Comprehensive Transportation Plan. This document will set out the County's highway priorities for the next 25 years! The first step in building the Mariner Highway is to get a line on the map as a highway priority in the Carteret County Comprehensive Transportation Plan.

Without your participation, NCDOT planners believe bike lanes on Highway 101 are more important than alleviating life-threatening highway flooding at the North River Fill!

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You can help! Here some suggestions:

1) GET ON THE MAILING LIST!

Stay informed about project developments and County transportation meetings!

2) GET A SIGN!

Put a sign in your yard!  

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3) WRITE AND CALL THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE!

Write and/or call decision-makers! 

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4) SPEAK AT PUBLIC MEETINGS!

Use the comment period available at public meetings to speak in support of this project!​​​

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NGP - 9/13/2024