National Park Service ~ Buxton, NC ~ 6,200 LF ~ $2,160,000

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, completed in 1873, is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Its distinguishing black-and-white spiral features were intended to warn mariners away from the extraordinarily dangerous sailing conditions of the Cape, which became known in its time as the Graveyard of the Atlantic.  In 1999, due to severe coastal erosion, the Lighthouse was moved 2,900 feet to its current location where it continues to be an important historic landmark and symbol of the region’s history. To connect the historic Lighthouse with the nearby village of Buxton, ST JOHN Principal Ed Setzler served as the AE Project Director for the master planning and design of the 10-foot-wide, paved, multi-use Lighthouse Road Trail.  Connecting the town of Buxton with the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and Visitor Center, the 6,200-foot trail integrates handicap accessible amenities with engaging historical narratives to broaden visitors’ understanding of the rich history of the Outer Banks and provide context for what they encounter in the park today.  Exhibit themes along the trail include an overview of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the moving of the Lighthouse in 1999, history of water sports at Cape Hatteras, and coastal processes such as sea level rise and beach erosion.