Bypass proposal puts life on hold for some Hampstead residents

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —  A newly-released report by the NCDOT takes the proposed Hampstead bypass off the list of the state’s priorities.

It’s a project that’s been in the works for years, with supporters and opponents. For residents like Maryann Aponte, the project has put their lives on hold since 2011.

“When we went to get building permits to do anything, putting up a shed or building a pool, we were told that we were not allowed to make any changes to the property since the DOT mapped it saying they were taking it for the bypass,” Aponte said.

She said since the DOT has not paid the homeowners, they are stuck there until a decision, about the bypass, is made.

Area business owner Brian Barkman commutes to Hampstead from Leland and said traffic is always an issue.

“The fact that they’re not recognizing it as a priority is pretty much a smack in the face to anybody that lives in Southeastern North Carolina,” Barkman said.

For now, officials said the project would have to be covered on a regional level rather than a state level.