Outer Banks beach-driving restrictions start today

Posted to: News North Carolina
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The Associated Press
© May 15, 2009

MANTEO, N.C.

Summer beach driving restrictions near villages along the North Carolina Outer Banks are going into effect.

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore closes beaches in front of villages of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands as a safety measure during the summer season when people walk and lounge on the sand.

Seashore Superintendent Mike Murray said the annual closures will start today.

Beach driving will be banned on Bodie Island in the Coquina Beach area. Driving also is banned on Hatteras Island on beaches fronting Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo and Avon. Other Hatteras closures include beaches around Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras.

On Ocracoke, beaches are closed to driving in three areas.

The closures are along with restrictions that are in place to protect endangered birds and turtles.

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AP Misleads Again

Submitted by Salvo Jimmy on Fri, 05/15/2009 at 4:32 pm.

But why am I not surprised.

This is nothing more than the seasonal closure of beaches to driving that has been in effect since 1978.

Beach Driving Ban

Submitted by PattyOBX on Fri, 05/15/2009 at 7:21 am.

As usual, folks.....POLITICS....even the little small town of Dare has now conformed to the "big city folks" ways of dealing with things. Tear down decades of icons, to build, what? More family places for us to take our kids? NO!!! More RENTAL HOUSES! So Ten Million MORE tourists can come here with 18 families to one house rental, with their 9 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, with hot tubs and jacuzzis! Just what the "average Joe" needs, huh? WE can't get year round rentals, because....weekly rentals are becoming the way of the land. And, hey! More restaurants! More surf shops! Now, the tourists can't walk on the beaches they come to see, because of this ban! Keep it up! Many more will move out of Dare and go elsewhere...happening daily.