NPS WORK CREW INSTALL BEACH ACCESS RAMP COUNTERS

Date: March 10, 2009
Contact: Cyndy Holda, 252-473-2111, ext. 148

Outer Banks Group Superintendent Mike Murray announced today that National Park Service (NPS) staff will install new traffic counters on five of the beach access ramps beginning March 11, 2009. As a result of recommendations to track ORV usage within Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore), the new system is designed to record traffic at selected beach access ramps that are indicative of ORV usage in the surrounding areas and utilizes methodology based on proven statistical models already in use throughout the NPS system.

The locations for the newly installed traffic counters are:
1) Ramp 2 at Coquina Beach
2) Ramp 34 north of Avon Village
3) Ramps 43/44 near Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
4) Ramp 55 at the southern end of Hatteras Village
5) Ramp 70 near Ocracoke Airstrip

Installation requires partial closure of each ramp for a period of four hours but access is possible except for Ramp 55. The placement of the traffic counter at Ramp 55 will require total closure of access or egress to and from Hatteras Inlet and the Pole Road during that four hour period of time. If weather conditions permit, Ramp 55 traffic counter installation is scheduled for Thursday, March 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 12: noon.

For further information, please call 252-473-2111 ext. 148.