OCRACOKE (AP) The state Transportation Department says ferry service between Ocracoke and Hatteras islands could resume soon with an alternate route.
The state Ferry Division has asked the U.S. Coast Guard to mark the route with navigational aids so ferry service could resume next week.
The alternate channel is about 11 miles long and will take almost 90 minutes to cross one-way compared to the 40 minutes that the primary ferry route takes.
Shoaling in the Hatteras Inlet channel has been an ongoing issue, but Hurricane Sandy and other storms worsened the problem.
Ocracoke has had no ferry service since mid-January.
The alternate route is a temporary solution only until dredging is completed on the primary route.