City breaks ground on long-awaited transit center

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It’s been in the works since the 1990s.

City leaders finally broke ground Thursday on a downtown Wilmington project that will be quite different than what was originally planned.

The initial vision for the multimodal transit center started with rail service between Raleigh and Wilmington.

Now, the new facility at North Third and Campbell streets will include a Wave Transit Administration Office and slips for 11 buses.

The estimated cost of $2.4 million grew to $4.1 million after changes to the original plan.

Wave Transit Chair Beck Smith says this is a great first step.

“We were able to get the buses off 2nd Street, provide a great anchor location and really a stepping stone to plan toward the future, if and when local rail and inter-city rail might happen,” Beck said. “In the meantime, we have a great facility.”

Smith says this new transportation center will be safer for both riders and drivers.