RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in
NCDOT Now, the department's weekly newscast.
Peak Storm Season
Over the past year, North Carolina has experienced the effects of several tropical systems, from the mountains to the coast.
Helene impacted the mountains a year ago, Chantal hit the Piedmont in July, and most recently, Erin affected the coast last month.
These events serve as stark reminders that it only takes one storm to devastate an area.
Residents are urged to keep their eyes on the tropics, maintain their storm supplies and evacuation plans, and remember to "know your zone" in the event of an emergency.
For tips on how to prepare, visit
ReadyNC.gov, and for the latest travel information, check out
DriveNC.gov.
Knotts Island School Bus Route
The beginning of the school year brings a different kind of commute for middle and high school students in Currituck County.
Students living on Knotts Island board a school bus that then boards a ferry to take them to the Currituck Mainland and back home to Knotts Island in the afternoon.
This ferry route, created in 1962, allows students to avoid a long ride through rural Chesapeake, Virginia, on narrow, winding two-lane roads.
Approximately 100 students commute this way to school every day.
Fall Litter Sweep
As autumn begins, it's time to put on your reflective vest and gloves and participate in the Fall Litter Sweep, which runs from September 13-27.
The litter sweep is NCDOT's biannual roadside litter removal initiative, where crews and local volunteers help remove trash from roadways to make North Carolina more beautiful.
Volunteers are provided with trash bags and other supplies.
If you’re interested in joining the effort, visit the Litter Sweep webpage.
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on
NCDOT.gov.