Kill Devil Hills, N.C.
Nov. 7, 2003

Department of Transportation (NCDOT) today announced a plan to provide free public transportation services for the six-day First Flight Centennial Celebration in December. With about 35,000 attendees expected each day of the celebration - 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.

Transportation Management Services (TMS) -- a company that specializes in transportation planning and management for special events -- of Vienna, Va. was hired to help develop the transportation plan. As part of the plan, TMS will contract with charter companies for up to 140 vehicles -- including motor coaches, mini buses and vans -- to transport attendees to and from celebration events.

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. An event ticket will be required to board the bus.

On Dec. 17, limited service may be provided north of Southern Shores and south of Bodie Island. The details are still being finalized and more information will be provided later.

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. Details for this service are being finalized and will be available soon. 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 http://www.firstflightcentennial.org or tune into Dare County Government T.V. Channel 20 and local radio stations for updates during the celebration. On Monday, Nov. 10, the transportation plan will be available online at http://www.ncdot.org and http://www.firstflightcentennial.org.

"We are excited to be working in partnership with the National Park Service and the First Flight Centennial Commission to provide convenient transportation for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration," said Deputy Secretary for Transit David King. "I'm also pleased to announce that a great effort has been made to hire as many North Carolina-based bus companies as possible."

"The visitor experience begins when ticket holders board the shuttle buses to Wright Brothers National Memorial in December," said Lawrence A. Belli, superintendent, Outer Banks Group, National Park Service. "We are pleased that TMS will provide safe, convenient transportation to this historic event."

Previous experience of TMS includes the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego, CA and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, N.M. for the past three years.

Contact:

Nicole Burris,
(919) 733-2522