Kill Devil Hills, NC
December 2, 2003

The N.C. Department of Transportation has finalized transportation plans for the First Flight Centennial Celebration. Additional bus service has been added on Dec. 16 and 17 to serve attendees staying in the Southern Shores, Duck and Corolla area as well as the Salvo, Rodanthe and Hatteras area. This service will operate on a limited schedule -- just prior to the gates opening in the morning and just after the gates close in the evening. Buses will pick up attendees at the following locations:

• Ocean Club Ventures, Corolla
• Hampton Inn, Pine Island
• Sanderling Inn, Duck
• Norbanks Sailing Center, Duck
• Duck Ridge/Wee Winks Square, Duck
• Duck Soundside Shoppes, Duck
• Hillcrest Beach Access Parking Lot, Southern Shores
• Southern Shores Crossing (adjacent to Southern Shores Town Hall)
• Marketplace Shopping Center (pick-up in Parking Lot off U.S.158), Southern Shores

Extended Service to the South

• Salvo Day Use Area -- Cars will be parked on the grass area of the Day Use Area and buses will leave from the asphalt area within it, close to the west side of N.C. 12.
• KOA Cape Hatteras -- Attendees will park in the KOA Cape Hatteras lot and walk to the bus loading area at Camp Hatteras Campground just north of the parking lot.

In addition, 33 stops along the Circulator Shuttle Route on N.C. 12 have been identified as well as four stops on Colington Island. Please visit either www.ncdot.org or www.firstflightcentennial.org for a complete list of these stops. The department also emphasizes that four lanes of U.S. 158 - two lanes in each direction - will be maintained for general traffic at all times.

A brochure with general transportation information is also available online and will be available at the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau after December 4.

On November 7, NCDOT announced a plan to provide free public transportation services for the six-day celebration. With about 35,000 attendees expected each day - and no parking available at Wright Brothers National Memorial - the plan is designed to get attendees to and from the events as efficiently as possible and minimize the impact to local residents. As part of the plan, 120 buses will operate December 12-15, 155 on December 16 and 210 on December 17, to transport attendees to and from the celebration.

Officials emphasize that with such a large number of people attending the events, attendees should allow at least three to four hours to get to the events. A summary of the plan follows.

Free parking and express transportation service to and from three outlying park and ride lots will be offered throughout the day to Wright Brothers National Memorial for event attendees. Lots will be located at the following locations:

• U.S. 158 in Currituck County (on the mainland) about three miles north of the Wright Memorial Bridge;
• Dare County Airport on Roanoke Island; and
• Along N.C. 12 on Bodie Island (RV parking will be available at this site).

There will be two lots designated only for attendees who require special assistance (i.e. a lift-equipped vehicle) and their accompanying group at the following locations:

• Kitty Hawk Elementary School on U.S. 158 in Kitty Hawk; and
• Dare County Justice Center on Roanoke Island.

All park and ride lots will have priority parking for attendees with limited mobility, but do not need a lift-equipped vehicle. Attendees who are able to board a non lift-equipped vehicle are encouraged to do so.

All park and ride lots will open one hour prior to the gates opening at the Memorial. Buses will begin leaving the lots 30 minutes before the gates open. Gates open at 8 a.m., Dec. 12 -16 and at 6 a.m. on Dec. 17. Lots will be lighted and have portable restrooms. An event ticket will be required to board the bus.

Free continuous circulator shuttles will serve attendees staying near Wright Brothers National Memorial. This service will operate along N.C. 12 (Beach Road) from Whalebone Junction at N.C. 12/U.S. 158/64 to Southern Shores at U.S. 158/N.C. 12 and on Colington Island. Shuttle stops will be designated by a sign and will be about 1/2 mile apart. Service will begin 30 minutes prior to gates opening at the Memorial. An event ticket will be required in order to board the shuttle.

On-demand assisted transportation will be provided to attendees staying within the circulator service area who require the use of a lift-equipped vehicle. Attendees must call 1-888-825-7712 to make reservations at least three hours ahead of time. Reservations can be made beginning December 8.

Two areas have been designated specifically for bus parking within walking distance of the event.

• The right lane of U.S. 158 East south of the main entrance to the Memorial will be designated for charter buses arriving from the north. Attendees will unload and enter the Memorial at one of the two main entrances.
• First Flight High School at the intersection of Veterans Drive and Sixth Street will be designated for all buses carrying school groups and for additional charter buses. To help keep additional traffic from the Memorial, the school parking lot will be accessed from West Baum Street off U.S. 158. Attendees will unload at the lot and enter the Memorial from the Colington Road entrance.

Information updates on transportation and First Flight Centennial Celebration programming will be posted on www.firstflightcentennial.org or tune into Dare County Government T.V. Channel 20 and local radio stations for updates during the celebration.

Contact:

Nicole Burris,
(919) 715-2396