The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-10-23
STATE HAS SPENT
S543 PER CAPITA
FOR BANKS ROAD
Costs of Highways and Fer
ries on Hatteras Island
Since 1o47 Cited

1t cost about $543 per capita to
build the roads over which each
of the people of Hatteras Island
might ride comfortably all the
way to Whalebone Junction, ac-
cording to figures released by the
State Highway Commission. The
greater part of this project was
made possible only by Governor
SCOTS bond issue, and the total
spent has been $896,000, includ-
ing the Oregon Inlet ferry slip
improvements.
This amounts to $543 per per-
son for every man, woman and
child of the 1850 people of Hat
teras Island. 1t looks like a
mighty high high per capita cost,
But few people know that this
is just about all that has been
spent for 80 pears, during which
time these people have suffered
untold hardship and expense in
travelling over the rough roads.
Actually, it is only about $18 a
year per person, and had some
thing been spent to relieve the
conditions on the island, along
when other people were getting
road Improvements, it might
have been done for less than half
of present day costs. But the
people were relatively few in
number and could WELD but
little influence in competition
with other sections. They got
passed by. Save for the road be-
tween Avon and Hatteras which
came during Governor Cherry's
administration, the rest is the re-
suit of the Scott program.
Costs Enumerated
The cost of the various links
in the road to HatteraS is out
lined in. The following statement
by Highway Chairman A. H. Ora
ham and Commissioner Emmett
Winslow of the First Division.
Thep said that with the recent
completion of the stretch of road
from Whalebone Junction to Ore
gon Inlet, the State will have
spent some $896,0O0 in the last
six years in grading and paving
SIS miles down the Outer Banks.
The road from Manteo down
the Outer Banks to Hatteras is
now open to traffic throughout
its entire length. The road, an
important addition to the State
coastal highway system and one
long-desired by the local resi-
dents, has an Is foot-wide pave
ment and five foot shoulders. The
grading and surfacing of the road
were constructed of sand blum
inous surface course. Heavy rains
and ocean water often wash over
it caused the delay in completing
it.
In May, 1947, the State Hikh-
way Commission advertised for
bids on constructing the first
link, the seventeen miles from
Avon to Hatteras. Work started
that year on the grading, but the
road was not paved till 1948
Total cost of the grading ant
paving was $4,000.
The next section to be bull
was from Avon to Rodanthe, ;
distance of 1913 miles. Work start
ed on the grading in August
1850. Before surfacing, State
forces dug up the base which hac
been damaged by sea water rush
ing over it and worked out the
naptha in the road. In August
1852, the road was surfaced with
sand bituminous surface course
Total cost of this 17.8 mile stretch
was $217,475.65.
In January 1852, the Commits
sion advertised for bids on build,
ing 1924 miles from Rodanthe tt
Oregon Inlet. Work started {
month later on the grading. The
paving on this portion was com,
pleted in September 1858. EST
mated cost of the grading anc
paving is $191, 1888.
The construct for work on
2.23 mile extension of the roac
through Cape Hatteras State
Park from the main highway to
Cape Hatteras was awarded ir
August, 1852. Work started in
February 1858. Though the jot
is not quite complete, the esti.
mated cost is $38,736.50.
In preparation for using the
new Oregon Inlet ferry, "The
Governor Umstead," bids were
taken in May, 1858, on grading q
ferry landing basin on the south
side of the Oregon Inlet. The
Nello L. Teer Company of Dur.
ham started the work ,JIllV |. anC