- BHI Transportation, Inc. resumed ferry service this morning with the final departure from the island at 5:30 p.m. Tram service is still suspended. The barge will not be running tomorrow.
- Update on pumping.
- Travel information – Brunswick County has released a road closure map and information on road re-openings. If you are traveling on the mainland, Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Ft. Fisher Ferry is closed.
- State officials have advised against swimming in coastal waters impacted by this storm, this includes the beaches and waterways of BHI.
- Visitors coming during the State of Emergency.
- The Village does not inspect properties for storm damage upon request, nor does it assist with disabled golf carts on private property.
- Village offices remain closed tomorrow (9/18). This includes the IPC/PO and Public Safety administration.
- Please check our social media and/or media webpage for more frequent updates.
Ferry Service & Trams
BHI Transportation, Inc. resumed ferry service this morning with the final departure from the island at 5:30 p.m. Travel to BHI is limited to those who own property or who are renting to lessen the population on the island while we continue to recover. Tram service is still suspended and will be until they can travel the roads safely. As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety does not provide personal transport to the marina. The barge will not be running tomorrow. Please continue to check the website or app for updates.
Update on Pumping
Both 10-inch pumps have been pushing stormwater off the island at the ocean outfalls since 6:00 p.m. yesterday (9/17) and the BHI Club and Village continue to coordinate to push water through lagoon bypass and outfall at BHI Creek. The Club’s assistance has helped increase the volume of water going off the island.
The Village crews continue repositioning pumps to efficiently remove stormwater from key locations. We are getting requests from folks to position pumps because their street is flooded, and they are stranded. The Village is doing the best it can to remove water most efficiently to make primary roads passable, then secondary roads will be considered, also in consideration is our utility equipment for water and sewer, Duke Energy, and Spectrum. We are very fortunate that all utilities are functioning in this event. Progress is being made to get the water levels down.
Road Closures and Impacts
View the latest Brunswick County road closures at the link above. Many of these closures are impacting the folks who work on the island and are delaying the transport of supplies to the barge.
Unfortunately, it is hard to tell when floodwaters may recede to allow people to pass through—and even then, the roads will still need to be inspected to ensure they are safe to travel on. Several roads in the county were damaged and will require repairs before they can be traveled on again. NCDOT is currently working to assess roads and bridges that are not currently flooded.
If you are traveling on the mainland, Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Never drive, walk, or swim through flooded roadways or past barricades on roads. You never know how deep the water is or if the road has been washed away or weakened beneath the water. Remember, just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down and 12 inches of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
You can check for active road incidents on North Carolina Department of Transportation‘s DriveNC.gov map (using the Potential Tropical Cyclone filter), the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, NC’s social media pages, and mobile app.
The Fort Fisher ferry is closed until the NCDOT can provide ferry riders with clear roadway access. There is currently no estimate on when it will re-open.
Swimming Advisory
State officials have advised against swimming in coastal waters impacted by this storm, this includes the beaches and waterways of BHI. The advisory will remain in place until water testing can be completed and that is on hold until roads are safe on the mainland.
Visitors Coming During SOE
The Village is currently under a State of Emergency and is recommending that all visitors, including those who may be staying overnight, or for the week, not to come to the island. The trams are still not running because of the condition of the roads. There is no certainty in when the roads will be clear to allow the trams to begin operating again.
In addition, as you just read in this announcement, the roads on the mainland are still in very bad shape, we still have many employees who are having issues getting to work safely, and there is a swimming advisory. Keeping our roadways clear of additional traffic will also help us with our stormwater management response.
Property Inspections & Assistance with Disabled Carts
The Village does not inspect private properties at the request of property owners. Some may be confused by the “damage assessment” that was announced a few days ago. This is a “windshield” assessment for FEMA to estimate the amount of damage from a storm, it is a quick assessment of the outside of structures and simply a tick mark on a form indicating the severity of damage. Years ago, when there were only a few hundred, the Village did inspections upon request after storm events, but that was discontinued some time ago with the increase in the number of homes built.
The Village has also received requests regarding disabled golf carts on private property. If you have a disabled golf cart, please contact one of the golf cart companies on the island (Island Directory HERE).
Village Offices Closed
Village offices remain closed tomorrow with office staff working remotely. You may contact them by email or phone (directory). The Island Package Center and Post Office is closed tomorrow due to limited ferry runs and the suspension of the barge.
Updates on Social Media & Webpage
Please continue to check our social media and/or media webpage for more frequent updates We aim to provide an email blast update every morning and evening as we recover from this event.