McKim & Creed performed hydrographic and topographic surveys, as well as centerline and right-of-way staking in and around the NC 12 breaches in Rodanthe following Hurricane Irene.
In two separate locations on NC 12, which is the roadway that connects most of the Outer Banks to the mainland, the storm left as many as six gaps in the pavement, two of which came from breaches in the island, with water flowing from the Pamlico Sound to the Atlantic Ocean.
Immediately after the storm, NCDOT survey crews were on site setting aerial control panel points so the area could be flown and mapped. McKim & Creed was asked to conduct surveys of a new inlet in Rodanthe where waves carved a breach up to 50 feet wide and eight feet deep in some places, in order to tie the underwater and embankments of the new waterway to the overall mapping. McKim & Creed responded with five surveyors and an 11-ft. inflatable survey vessel.
Because the opportunity arose for the NCDOT to begin construction almost immediately, McKim & Creed was asked to set and control additional aerial targets, as well as stake the centerline and right-of-way with the western right-of-way being a priority. Centerline and right-of-way geometry were provided by the NCDOT.
Thanks to these efforts, construction workers were able to begin repairing NC 12 immediately following the completion of the surveying work.