A new plan to save North Carolina’s aging ferry system is taking center stage on the Outer Banks. The Ocracoke Access Alliance has released a ten-point proposal to modernize the state’s 'maritime highway' while protecting the residents who rely on it most.
As state lawmakers consider new tolls, the Alliance is pitching a middle-ground solution: a $10 fee for the Hatteras-Ocracoke route and $20 dollars for mainland ferries. The plan calls for a total toll waiver for verified Ocracoke residents—ensuring they always have a free path home.
With the current fleet averaging twenty-six years in age, Executive Director Justin LeBlanc says the move is about common sense and long-term survival. The proposal also pushes for $69 million to clear a massive maintenance backlog within two years.
Advocates say it’s the only way to keep the system a reliable lifeline for coastal jobs and tourism.
