New Hanover Co. Commissioners approve pedestrian safety improvements

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County Commissioners approved a project designed to keep people in the Carolina Beach area safe from vehicles Monday. The new project proposal includes sidewalks, lights, two cross walks and a median near the Walmart.

Recent statistics show that pedestrian fatalities have increasingly become a problem in some parts of the Cape Fear, especially on Carolina Beach Road near Monkey Junction.

Since 2010, there have been 10 pedestrian accidents, 5 of which were fatal. On some sections of Carolina Beach Road, there are no safe places for people to cross.

New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple said the change is long overdue.

“I’m delighted. In my opinion it’s taken longer than it should have. But we’re here now, so lets get the thing built,” he said.

It is a project that has all County Commissioners on board.

“We think it’s a good project. It’s very much needed. And hopefully it will reduce or eliminate future pedestrian fatalities in that part of the county,” said County Planning and Land Use Director Chris O’Keefe.

The project design is scheduled to be finished by July, and construction for the new additions will begin in the fall.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is financing the project, which is estimated to cost $1.9M. New Hanover County will be responsible for maintaining the new sidewalks, which should cost about $6,000 per year.