WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Landfall and surrounding neighbors met at the Northeast Branch of New Hanover County Public Library on Tuesday evening.

The meeting was called so residents are aware of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s proposed project on Eastwood and Military Cutoff Road.

The project would add a flyover along Eastwood and over Military Cutoff road.

The NCDOT project manager says it’s needed because of congestion.

“There are about 75,000 vehicles that go through there today; based on projected volume, there is going to be about 100,000 in the 2040 design year,” says Trace Howell. “We are already noticing congestion there. It’s not going to get any better based on traffic projections, so this project is aimed to improve that.”

While some people agree that traffic can be a problem at the intersection, they believe another review of the proposed project is necessary.

“A lot of other things have happened in this area since it was first approved. If you look at the traffic and what’s happened in this area, we are going to solve it at one intersection. So basically, we are going to move the traffic to the next intersection,” says Leslie Farinella, a Landfall resident.

The project has been in the works since 2015, and this year, NCDOT expects to take another step that will allow them to start building in 2027.

NCDOT says the project will take 4 years to complete, and that worries some of the business owners because of a nearby bridge project scheduled for 2028.

“All roads that lead to Wrightsville Beach are in season very busy. If you take the primary road, Eastwood Road, out of that for construction for the overpass, then you force more traffic onto Wrightsville, which is a two-lane” says Susan Bulluck, Chair of Wrightsville Beach Chambers of Commerce. “When you get to the bridge, which opens every hour on the hour, you’ll back up traffic. People will soon learn they don’t want to come to that area.”

Bulluck believes there could be a better solution or plan to avoid this.

“That may mean the flyover is going the other direction. We are not suggesting to kill the project; we are suggesting this money be set aside. It will be studied after the Wrightsville Beach bridge and access issues. By then, we will know what the interaction is of Eastwood and Military.”

While some aren’t in favor of the change, a former board member of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization believes this project will solve traffic problems.

“Yes, it’s going to be painful for a few years. I’d rather deal with it now than it be 20 years down the road and can’t move,” says Jason Thomson. “If we don’t fix the problem gets worse, and we have now one to blame but ourselves.”

Farinella says she believes it’s not worth the taxpayers’ dollars.

“We just don’t think it makes any sense. To spend 81 million dollars to cut what’s a 2 minute wait in half and just to move that wait to another traffic light,” says Farinella.

NCDOT says some of the funding comes from state sales tax.

“It’s fully funded and will be awarded for construction in a few years. The total estimated project cost, including right-of-way acquisition and construction, is $81.4 million,” says Andrew Barksdale. “U-5710 is fully funded in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The funding is mostly comprised of funds for the gas tax and DMV fees. A relatively small portion of the STIP funding comes from state sales tax as well.”

The meeting was also a way to remind neighbors near the proposed flyover to reach out to NCDOT with their concerns.

Howell says they are more than welcome to reach out even though NCDOT doesn’t plan to have another public meeting.

“Even so, at this stage, we can still take in the question or comment,” says Howell.

You can reach them by calling this number listed on their website (910) 341-2250

Howell says they will have to submit their final design before their bidding and letting day in September. They hope do to that four months prior to that day.

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