The first 1.25-mile phase of the new Cape Hatteras Lighthouse pathway will open by late summer or early fall 2024.

“The Buxton multi-use pathway project is approximately 40% complete,” said Mike Barber, Public Affairs Specialist for Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS). “There is approximately 3,500 linear feet of unfinished project work.”

Remaining tasks include grading, concrete pouring, culvert replacements, seeding, painting, and crosswalk installations. Travelers on Lighthouse Road should use caution due to ongoing construction.

Funded by the National Park Service, the pathway project began in November 2023, but planning dates back to 1984 with the CHNS General Management Plan. The project gained momentum in 2022 with public opinion and a $3.2 million contract awarded to Terra Site Constructors LLC in 2023. Additionally, funds from the Federal Highway Administration, and $360,000 from Outer Banks Forever contributed to the project.

The paved pathway, 10 to 12 feet wide, extends from N.C. Highway 12 to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The route taken when the lighthouse was moved in 1999 includes a crossing near the pond on Lighthouse Road. Five interpretive panel areas will highlight local history and the lighthouse move.

Future phases will extend the pathway to Cape Point Campground. They will elevate the flood-prone section of Lighthouse Road near ORV Ramps 43 and 44.

For more information on supporting the project, visit www.obxforever.org/pathways or email Jessica Barnes, Director of Outer Banks Forever, at JessicaBarnes@OBXForever.org.