5 Wilmington roadway projects delayed due to COVID-19

WILMINGTON, NC (StarNews) — Wilmington-area drivers may have to wait a little longer to see travel times and traffic congestion improve in some areas of New Hanover County.

To ease what the North Carolina Department of Transportation called “a funding crisis” due to COVID-19, it has turned to delaying projects statewide.

The department relies on its funding from the motor fuels tax, highway use tax and DMV fees. With the pandemic and stay-at-home orders came decreases in traffic volumes, resulting in a blow to the department’s revenue streams.

Communications Officer Lauren Haviland said NCDOT projects an estimated $2 billion decrease in its State Transportation Improvement Program, which is the department’s 10-year plan for projects across the state. The N.C. Board of Transportation approved a reprogrammed version of the plan on Oct. 8 amid the financial impacts from COVID-19 after initially approving it in September last year.

Haviland said the new plan “will allow the NCDOT staff to provide realistic delivery schedules to fit the anticipated budget situation, as well as adjust project funding with Build NC bond money and meet requirements to not jeopardize federal funding.”