Communities in west Carteret County may receive a new ZIP code following years of issues with mail delivery errors and confusion during emergency dispatches.
The Carteret County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved a motion to request a new ZIP code for towns including Bogue, Cape Carteret, Cedar Point, and Peletier.
Currently, residents in these areas are served by post offices in Emerald Isle or Swansboro, often using a Swansboro ZIP code despite residing in Carteret County. Some residents report that this causes deliveries and emergency services to be mistakenly routed through Onslow County.
“Punch in our ZIP code, and it comes up Swansboro,” said Fletcher Johnston, a lifelong resident of Cape Carteret.
District One Commissioner David Quinn said the issue extends beyond mail delivery and affects emergency response.
“If there is a 911 call and the property is located in Carteret County, but it has an Onslow County or Swansboro address, that can be confusing as far as dispatching emergency services to the correct location,” Quinn said.
The proposal would create a new ZIP code and post office for the west Carteret area. The request now moves to the United States Postal Service for consideration.
