Bumpy Road For Santa?

The Carolina Beach Island of Lights Christmas parade could be a bit of a bumpy ride.
Contractors for the Department of Transportation started a road construction project along Carolina Beach road Thursday.

Several Carolina Beach residents were upset when they saw cones lining the parade Thursday.
But town officials said those cones and other construction signs will be gone before Friday’s parade.

The DOT has been planning to tear up and repave Carolina Beach Road for a while. Residents are concerned the construction will hurt the Island of Lights Christmas Parade.
About a quarter of the parade route will go along roads that are now being repaired.
Town officials said other than the unpaved road parade goers won’t even notice the repairs.

“Everybody loves a parade and all those construction signs will be gone,” said Town Manager Tim Owens. “Really the only thing you’ll notice is a milled surface. The parade starts at 7:30. We shutdown the roads roughly around 7 o’clock, so come early.”

Owens spoke with the DOT earlier this week to make sure the parade would not be disrupted due to the construction. In fact, the road is being cleaned up as the construction takes place. Street sweepers are already cleaning up some of the construction debris.