Wrightsville Avenue Improvement Project brings major safety upgrades to busy Wilmington corridor

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — One of the busiest corridors in Wilmington is about to get a major overhaul. 

Newly poured sidewalks dot the southern end of Wrightsville Avenue, marked by orange silt fences. 

City engineers met on site of the “Wrightsville Avenue Improvement Project,” which began in the fall of 2025 and is continuing to make headway.  

Justin Carter is the Assistant Director of Engineering for the City of Wilmington and is thrilled to be making progress.    

“It’s very exciting to get things moving, to start seeing ground broken, and start seeing that progress,” said Carter.  

The project will take place along Wrightsville Avenue, from Independence Boulevard to Hawthorne Drive.   

It includes new sidewalks, signalized pedestrian crossings at College Road and Hawthorne Drive, and a roundabout at Wrightsville and Wallace Avenue with lighting and crosswalks.  

The project supports “Wilmington’s Vision Zero” strategy, a commitment to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries.  

Carter says this strategy is driven by alarming statistics.  

“We’ve had around 13 pedestrian instances over the past 10 years, so, and that’s a lot. That’s far more than anybody wants,” said Carter.  

That emphasis on safety was echoed by Abby Lorenzo, Deputy Director of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.  

“So, the WMPO has supported the City of Wilmington in their efforts to move this project forward, assisting with the 2014 bond referendum effort, and continues to support the city in implementing this project today.” 

Construction has begun on the southern end of Wrightsville Avenue, towards Hawthorne Drive and Rose Avenue. 

Officials say the plan is to have construction fully finished by January of next year.