DOT suggests ways to ease Leland traffic

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — Frustrated drivers are searching for answers and tired of bumper-to-bumper traffic between Leland and Wilmington.

Now, the DOT is responding to drivers on the Leland NC Traffic Reports Facebook page.

NCDOT engineer Karen Fussell posted on the Facebook page today saying they have to work on both the Causeway Project and the I-140 bypass at the same time, because they have the funding for it right now. If they don’t use the money now, it could go to another project. So the engineers have suggested “tenable” solutions while the construction continues.

Click here to read Fussell’s full Facebook post

According to Fussell, a DOT engineer from Raleigh says the main problem during this construction is peak volumes of drivers exceeding lane capacity. They have mentioned putting in a ramp meter using red and green lights for merging. They also suggested a “glare screen” to prevent distracted onlookers around the construction zone. Finally, they even suggested people adjusting their travel schedules.

Driver Jeanne Singley says she’s not sure anything will help.

“It’s hard to say until you put something in effect,” Singley said. “I definitely think the lanes are a bigger issue. If you’re merging three lanes to two or sometimes two lanes to one and you’re not letting every other car go, then you’re going to have a back up.”

Singley also said, for a majority of people it is almost impossible to have a flexible schedule around the peak hours of traffic.

The DOT will meet with the Town of Leland Monday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at 5504 Barbados Boulevard in Castle Hayne. After the meeting, Fussell says they will open it up for public to comment. The DOT says while the public may attend the meeting, it was not intended to be a public forum. They are looking at holding a public meeting during an evening in Leland soon.