First phase of Wilmington Bypass now open

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The first part of a project on the Wilmington Bypass opened today.

It’s a 6.5-mile stretch that connects US-17 to US-74/76, but resident Peter Bearrett said he probably won’t use it yet.

“It’s good that it’s open, but it doesn’t really affect us because we don’t really use that,” Bearrett said.

North Carolina’s Secretary of Transportation Tony Tata said they had to do this $89 million part of the project first because it’s how they could use money from the 2009 federal stimulus program.

“We do a lot of projects in phases so that we can get them started and do a rolling construction of the subsequent phases. So this is what we had the money to do and we wanted to get started,” Tata said.

The major part of the project will take I-140 over the Cape Fear River.

“When the final stretch is open, the bypass will provide a 27-mile, four-lane connection between the most significant highways in this area,” Tata said.

Tata said that project should be complete by the end of 2017.

Bearrett said that’s when drivers will see an impact.

“When that’s open in a couple of years and when the construction on 17 is complete, it will certainly alleviate the traffic conditions here,” Bearrett said.