New roundabout opens at River Road and Independence Boulevard

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new roundabout at the intersection of River Road and Independence Boulevard is now open to traffic.

The City of Wilmington says while some adjacent work remains underway, and additional paving inside the roundabout is scheduled in the coming weeks, drivers can now use the intersection in all directions.

City officials say the new roundabout is similar to others located farther south on River Road and is designed to improve both traffic flow and safety. The $2.42 million project was jointly funded by the City of Wilmington, Riverlights and Proximity Watermark Development.

Because the roundabout introduces a new traffic pattern, drivers are encouraged to proceed with caution.

The project was first announced last year, when the city and development partners officially broke ground at the site. A traffic analysis conducted in 2022 showed that a roundabout would better handle the growing volume of northbound and southbound traffic compared to a traditional signalized intersection.

In addition to the roundabout, the project includes pedestrian crossings, a sidewalk, new curbing and a gutter along Independence Boulevard from the roundabout to River Front Place.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo previously said the improvements were needed due to rapid growth in the area.

“The amount of people that have moved to this part of the community within a very short period of time, within a decade, has made this intersection improvement necessary at this time,” Saffo said at the project’s groundbreaking.

The City of Wilmington says as a reminder, vehicles already in the roundabout have the right of way. Learn more about roundabout safety here.