Windsor Park is at risk due to I-140

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — I-140 is a busy interstate, and living next to it isn’t always ideal, no matter now nice the community is.

There is currently no barrier between properties on the cul de sacs in the Windsor Park community, which creates a few concerns for residents.

“Mainly it’s just the noise that is very annoying,” Gina Malpass, a resident said. “A lot of drivers hit the rumble strips. I don’t know if everyone’s texting and driving but that’s probably the biggest annoyance.”

In addition to being annoying, they say safety is also an issue. Some of the properties are only 20 feet away from the road.

“What scares me the most if someone is to come off [the highway], they would be flying into my backyard,” Samantha Ovsak, another resident said. “There’s nothing for them to stop, also if something falls from the back of their truck, one of the tires breaks off an 18 one of these wheeler there is no safety for us at all. It is gonna come into our backyard and that’s one thing that freaks me out.”

The NCDOT is not required to build sound walls, as the highway was planned before Windsor Park was built.

But during Thursday’s Leland transportation meeting, Leland Mayor Pro Tem Pat Batleman discussed reaching out to the NCDOT to do something to help.

“We’re working on a resolution now,” Batleman said. “I think my friends in the county are also gonna join with us in a similar resolution to impress about the NCDOT that they have to have some kind of safety barrier.”

We have reached out to the NCDOT, but have not heard back. We will keep you updated.