Hurricane Florence Road, Bridge Closures, Train and Bus Delays, Cancellations

As Hurricane Florence closes in on the Carolina coast, trains and buses have been canceled and delayed, and many roads and bridges have been shut down due to standing water and flooding.

Although the storm was downgraded to a Category 2, winds of more than 80 miles per hour were still expected to pound a large portion of the Eastern Seaboard, along with heavy rains. State leaders in North and South Carolina warned residents to take the risks seriously, ordering the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents. Many in Virginia have evacuated inland as well, with encouragement and support from the state government.

Bus and train companies have preemptively shut down and delayed service, with the safety of their employees and passengers in mind. Authorities have been monitoring roads and bridges, and had shut down dangerous motorways, some of which had already begun flooding.

Road Closures

Multiple roads in North Carolina's Accomack County and Northampton County have been closed due to flooding and standing water. In Accomack, Hillsborough Drive (Route 810) near Shields Bridge Road (Route 178) and Wardtown Road (Route 606) near Occohannock Neck Road (Route 183) have been closed. Saltworks Road (Route 615) and Cemetery Road (Route 602) near Route 183 are blocked off in Northampton County.

In South Carolina, I-26 EB at MM 213–North Charleston, I-526 WB, Chuck Dawley Boulevard to Highway 17–Mount Pleasant, I-526 EB Exit 29–Mount Pleasant, I-526 at Longpoint Road–Mount Pleasant, Ashley Phosphate at I-26–North Charleston, Montague overpass from Morningside to Arco, Azalea Drive at I-26 overpass– North Charleston, Betsy Kerrison Parkway–Kiawah Island, Longpoint Road between Needlerush and Parkway Drive–Mount Pleasant and North Rhett Avenue at Tanner Ford Boulevard–Hanahan have been closed.

Bridge Closures

In North Carolina, travel restrictions have been implemented for southbound motorists on Highway 158 in Currituck County heading across the Wright Memorial Bridge as of Thursday morning. Only essential personnel with a Critical Needs Pass issued by the county's Emergency Management or a Priority One Pass issued by nearby Dare County Emergency Management are allowed to enter Dare County after they cross the bridge.

In South Carolina, Westmoreland Bridge on I-526, the Ashley River Bridge NB on Savannah Highway–Charleston, Ben Sawyer Bridge–Sullivans Island, Ellis Creek Bridge–Folly Beach, and the Folly River Bridge–Folly Beach have been shut down.

Train Delays and Cancellations

Amtrak trains canceled from Wednesday, September 12, to Sunday, September 16:

• Auto Train (Lorton, Virginia, to Sanford, Florida), train Nos. 52 and 53
• Silver Meteor (New York to Miami), train Nos. 97 and 98
• Crescent (New York to New Orleans), train Nos. 19 and 20
• Carolinian (New York to Charlotte, North Carolina), train Nos. 79 and 80, is canceled from Thursday, September 13, to Sunday, September 16
• Piedmont (Raleigh, North Carolina, to Charlotte, North Carolina), train Nos. 73 to 78, is canceled from Thursday, September 13, to Sunday, September 16
• Silver Star (New York to Miami), trains Nos. 91 and 92, will operate between Jacksonville, Florida, and Miami only, from Wednesday, September 12, to Sunday, September 16

Amtrak trains canceled Friday, September 14:

• Northeast Regional trains Nos. 180, 184, 187, and 133

The following Amtrak trains will operate on a modified schedule:

• Palmetto (New York to Savannah, Georgia) train Nos. 89 and 90, will operate between New York and Washington, D.C., from Wednesday, September 12, to Sunday, September 16
• Cardinal (Chicago to New York), train Nos. 50 and 51, will operate between Indianapolis and Chicago from Thursday, September 13, to Sunday, September 16
• Northeast Regional train Nos. 86 and 174 will operate normally Thursday, September 13, then will operate north from Washington, D.C., from Friday, September 14, to Sunday, September 16
• Northeast Regional service will not operate south of Washington, D.C. The following trains will operate north from Washington D.C., from Thursday, September 13 to Sunday, September 16: train Nos. 65, 66, 67, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 93, 94, 95, 99, 125, 145, 156, 157, 171, 176, 194 and 195.

Amtrak said that customers on affected trains will generally be accommodated on trains departing at similar times on a different day. The company also said it will waive charges for customers requesting to change their reservation due to the modified schedule.

Bus Delays and Cancellations

Greyhound announced Wednesday that it suspended all buses heading south of Richmond, Virginia. Officials with the bus company said that passengers who had previously booked to travel to impacted destinations after 8 p.m. from Wednesday, September 12, through Friday, September 14, could rebook tickets without a change fee.

The impacted cities are: Ahoskie, North Carolina; Jacksonville, North Carolina; Vienna, Maryland; Annapolis, Maryland; Kinston, North Carolina; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Cambridge, Maryland; Mardela, Maryland; Wallace, North Carolina; Easton, Maryland; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Washington, North Carolina; Edenton, North Carolina; New Bern, North Carolina; Williamsburg, Virginia; Elizabeth City, North Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; Wilmington, North Carolina; Goldsboro, North Carolina; Salisbury, Maryland; Wilson, North Carolina; Greenville, North Carolina; Smithfield, North Carolina; Hampton, Virginia; and Tarboro, North Carolina.

Megabus also announced that it had canceled service through the impacted areas of South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia as of the evening of September 12. In a statement posted to its website, the bus company said it had emailed passengers to notify them of the cancellations, offering them the opportunity reschedule or request a refund.