North Carolina experts call for ‘pre-recovery’ planning as climate-driven damage and repair costs rise

# What happened A slow-moving nor'easter struck the Outer Banks, causing overwash and washing out sections of NC 12 near Pea Island. North Carolina Department of Transportation crews removed broken asphalt, rebuilt dunes, and made emergency repairs. Officials estimated the immediate work at about $2.5 million.

# Why this matters now The state has been paying for the same damage for years. NCDOT engineers told a March hearing the agency spent nearly $51 million over 15 years maintaining NC 12 hot spots in Dare County. That recurring expense comes while the road continues to be rebuilt because it supports an estimated $2.2 billion in annual tourism spending.

Three Duke University climate and engineering specialists who spoke with journalists laid out practical responses to this pattern. Their argument: reactive repairs after storms are predictable but expensive, and communities should plan recovery choices before disasters happen.

# What experts recommend

• Pre-recovery planning: Communities should decide ahead of time which assets need fast restoration, which should be rebuilt to higher standards, and which should not be rebuilt in the same place. Planning before a crisis reduces rushed decisions under political pressure.

• Use robust design standards: Stronger local building codes translate to stronger post-disaster recovery because FEMA rebuilds to existing local codes. Updating codes costs more up front but yields safer structures for decades.

• Target help to underfunded places: Smaller, rural communities often lack engineers, staff, and revenue to pursue resilience projects. They need financing mechanisms and technical assistance to improve codes and infrastructure.

# Examples and local context The Outer Banks example illustrates the tension between economic benefit and exposure: the barrier-island road is regularly damaged because it sits a few feet above sea level, yet it brings substantial tourism revenue. Duke's Victoria Salinas — a former FEMA administrator — noted that communities with stronger codes receive more rebuilding resources. Mark Borsuk, a civil and environmental engineering professor, emphasized the timing of planning: resilience debates should not occur amid immediate recovery pressure.

# Practical implications for policymakers and communities Policymakers should consider updating building codes and providing funding and technical support to smaller municipalities. Local officials should develop pre-recovery plans that classify assets by priority and resilience strategy. Planners should favor solutions that are robust across a range of climate futures, rather than betting on precise long-term forecasts.

# Bottom line Storms will keep damaging exposed assets. Rebuilding immediately to previous standards will incur repeated costs and leave communities exposed. Advance planning, stronger codes, and directed support for under-resourced towns can reduce long-term economic damage and improve recovery outcomes.