Few clear solutions for neighbors in Leland living within feet of the Wilmington Bypass

LELAND, NC (WWAY) – It may be another noisy night for some folks who live in Leland’s Windsor Park subdivision. This evening town leaders looked at ways to solve the issues of noise and safety along the I-140 Wilmington bypass.

We went to neighbors who have to deal with the nuisance first hand.

Some neighbors told me they knew what they were getting into when the DOT knocked on their doors. Town leaders call it unfair and neighbors that live closest to the road, their call it unsafe.

Most around the Cape Fear were looking forward to I-140’s completion. It has not been that way for Windsor Park residents like Caroline Hurd.

“Safety, safety is hundred percent should be number one,” said Hurd who moved into her home in the Park three years ago.

She is one of the dozens of homes within feet of the highway.

“It’s been very loud, you can’t even hold a conversation,” Hurd said. “If we’re outside grilling you can’t have a conversation, it’s, it’s loud.”

It’s an issue Leland town leaders have known about since last spring, but can do little to fix.

“At this point we can just offer advice,” said councilwoman Pat Batleman.

That’s because Windsor Park was built after the highway. That’s why federal law does not require NC-DOT to build sound walls. The neighborhood is also private property, Leland has little power for what can be built on it according to Batleman.

“There’s no guard rail to your property,” ‘Nothing, there’s nothing,'” Hurd replied. “That person will come right through our backyard or hopefully not right into our house.”

Leland Mayor Pro Tem Pat Batleman says she thinks DOT could agree to railings. For now all Hurd has is her own six-foot fence like other neighbors. The DOT does have in place a wired fence at the base of the bypass easement. Batleman hopes neighbors can find a way to have the developer build a wall or plant trees, if anything, for some peace of mind.

“It’s going to take a team effort, a partnership,” said the Mayor Pro Tem. “I am hoping that the developer will see the value in helping these folks.”