It'll take up to $50 million to repair or replace roads in eastern North Carolina damaged by Hurricane Dorian, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
Aaron Moody, NCDOT Public Relations Officer, said the state estimated Dorian damage totaled between $40 million and $50 million. While it sounds significant, Moody said it's not nearly as significant as the damage caused by Hurricane Florence in 2018.
Of the total damage amount, $16 million to $20 million is to secondary roads and $25 million to $30 million is to primary roads, according to Moody.
He added, the most heavily damaged road is North Carolina 12, linking the peninsulas and islands of the northern Outer Banks. It's projected the damage to that highway alone will total $4 million to $5 million.
According to Moody, NCDOT will seek money from FEMA to pay for damage to secondary roads. It'll also seek money from the Federal Highway Administration to pay for damage to primary roads.
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Moody admitted that frequency of weather events and their costs were a concern to NCDOT. The Department has been dealing with money issues lately. Last month, it announced it was laying off hundreds of temporary and contracted employees in operations and maintenance areas to make up for a decreasing budget.
The Department blamed the layoffs and budget problems on Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, other major storms and multiple lawsuits.
When asked whether damage from Hurricane Dorian could further put a strain on NCDOT's budget, Moody said it's possible, but it's too soon to tell.