Carolina Beach braces for traffic as visitors arrive for Beach Music Festival

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — As Carolina Beach prepares for thousands of music lovers for its annual Beach Music Festival, residents and business owners are anticipating problems with an unpopular traffic pattern. The four-lane Lake Park Blvd. is now two plus and a turn lane. Bike lanes were also added for a four-block stretch.

Town Manager Tim Owens says the changes were intended to slow traffic through the central business district, making it less like a thoroughfare and more pedestrian and biker friendly. People who live and work in Carolina Beach say the changes have created traffic problems.

“We need our tourists, and we don’t need them sitting in line from here to Kure Beach because of this traffic knot,” business owner Michael McLaughlin said.

Owens said Carolina Beach can change traffic back to the way it was if it proves not to work out. It will come at a price tag of $500,000. If that were to happen, it wouldn’t be until after tourist season.