DOT to hold meeting on closing S. 3rd Street for months

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Department of Transportation is considering a $2.4 million project that would shut down part of 3rd Street in Wilmington.

The DOT says it needs to replace an aging pipe under 3rd Street and South Front Street. The StarNews reports the project would shut down 3rd Street from six to nine months.

“Obviously we were shocked with the news that the road in front of our business may be shut down,” said Margaret Jennings, owner of the Harp.

The project would begin in fall 2014 and wrap up in spring 2015, the DOT said.

Business owners were surprised to learn about the future closure, but Jennings says her business will be able to get through this challenge.

“When we came into this area, there were many challenges facing us that we overcame, and this may be one more challenge we have to overcome,” Jennings said.

DOT Division Bridge Program Manager Amanda Glynn told the StarNews that the DOT has been talking about this plan for a while and the department is finally able to put those plans into action.

“If repairs need to be made, we are not the first business to face this challenge,” Jennings said. “You have to be realistic about these situations.”

During construction and the closure of 3rd Street, drivers would have to detour from Shipyard Blvd. to 16th and 17th streets and then to Dawson and Wooster streets.

“You have 4th Street one block away. You can come up Greenfield and up 4th Street, so we hope that would work out for us,” Jennings said.

The pipe the DOT will replace was damaged during Hurricane Floyd in 1999. The StarNews reports the intersection of 3rd Street, Front Street and Carolina Beach Road had to be closed for several days and caused traffic on 16th and 17th streets to increase 150 percent.

If you are concerned about the shut down, you have a chance for your voice to be heard. The DOT is holding an information workshop April 18 at Wilmington Council Chambers from 5 to 7 p.m.