Commissioners, drivers react to NCDOT’s new plan for Hampstead Bypass

HAMPSTEAD, NC (WWAY) — For years one community has been asking for the Hampstead Bypass. We have new reaction as the Department of Transportation announces the bypass would be included in the state’s 10 year plan.

Highway 17 in Pender county has not always been busy. That is why Ron Sechler moved there 12 years ago.

“If someone had told me then that Hampstead was going to do what it’s done, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Sechler said.

Sechler said growth and development brought concerns to Highway 17.

“Congestion is one thing and speeding and there is just so much of it,” Sechler said.

That’s why Pender County Commissioner David Williams said they have been fighting for the Hampstead Bypass.

“I know at times we may offended some folks by the way we’ve gone about lobbying or complaining about this, but we’ll continue to do that,” Williams said.

“They’ve done their job,” Sechler said. “I put it on the state.”

Williams said the bypass is not just a want.

“We know we have to have this bypass,” Williams said.

Finally, the DOT agrees announcing it would pay for the northern part of the bypass from NC Hwy 210 to Sloop Point Loop Road.

“That’s a major step,” Williams said. “It’s certainly the best news we’ve had regarding the bypass in a long time, but I don’t want people to start popping champaign corks yet, because that is only the first phase of doing the whole bypass.”

According to the DOT’s 10 year plan, that first phase would not start until 2025. “2025? What’s it going to be like then?” Sechler said.

Sechler said that is too late, but Williams said the fight is not over yet.

“There are a lot of folks on a lot of different levels in a lot of different organizations that are pushing as hard as they possibly can to accelerate that,” Williams said.

Williams said the whole bypass would cost about $240 million including the military cutoff extension. Right now, the DOT is proposing to pay for the first phase which is about $130 million.

Williams said it is still up in the air whether the project will be split into two or three phases.