Concerned residents and business owners hold informational session about Eastwood Rd overpass project

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — More than a dozen concerned residents and business owners gathered for an information session regarding a controversial planned construction project in Wilmington.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the project would consist of a 30-foot-tall overpass along Eastwood Road, replacing its intersection with Military Cutoff Road.

DOT said the project would help deal with congestion and improve traffic capacity and safety in the area.

But residents have voiced concerns and opposition to the project ever since it was first announced more than a decade ago.

This session gave residents, like James DeHaven, a chance to both learn about and voice their concerns about the more than 80 million dollar project.

“We think that’s going to adversely affect the residents in this community,” DeHaven said. “We also think that’s going to adversely affect the businesses in this community. This is a seasonal community, we think it’s an overkill, we don’t think it’s going to solve the problem.”

Some residents living in Wrightsville Beach are also concerned as construction on this project is expected to begin in 2027, around the same time work will begin on the two bridges on Salisbury Street and Causeway Drive.