Wrightsville Beach plans major redesign of busy intersection
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — One of Wrightsville Beach’s busiest intersections could soon look significantly different as the town moves forward with plans aimed at improving traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
Town Manager Haynes Brigman outlined the proposed redesign of the intersection of Causeway Drive, Waynick Boulevard and North Lumina Avenue during a recent Board of Aldermen meeting.
“Really excited about this particular project,” said Brigman.
The proposed changes include adding two left-turn lanes from Waynick Boulevard onto Causeway Drive and relocating the pedestrian crosswalk currently located near Wynn Plaza.
“We want to install dual left-turn lanes off of Waynick Boulevard onto Causeway Drive. We want to relocate the existing crosswalk that crosses Causeway Drive there at the Wynn Plaza at that particular intersection, so we want to relocate that crosswalk to the other side of the intersection,” said Brigman.
The plan would also restore a combined left-turn and through movement on North Lumina Avenue and relocate the crosswalk near Tower 7.
Brigman said the intersection improvements are being coordinated with the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s upcoming bridge replacement projects.
“What we’ve tried to do is coordinate these improvements with the bridge design so that these are both short-term improvements for ourselves, as well as long-term improvements, so they’ll be able to last beyond the bridge replacements.”
The intersection project is one piece of a much larger transportation picture for Wrightsville Beach. With improvements planned at the intersection and three bridge replacements approaching, every major route onto the island could eventually be affected.
Tower 7 manager Stephen Son said the construction schedule will be critical for businesses in the area, particularly those that rely heavily on summer tourism.
“If it started during the wintertime when all of the tourists are kind of gone, I don’t really think it would affect business too much because we kind of get all of the locals anyways, but if they did it during the summertime or if it started around the summertime, I think it would probably cause a bit of a hit for us so hopefully they time it right,” said Son.
Joseph Herrin, a frequent visitor to Wrightsville Beach, said clear scheduling and communication could help reduce disruptions for residents, businesses and visitors.
“The DOT is very good with what they call traffic control plans and phasing the construction so it’s going to be an inconvenience, but it’s not going to be life-changing. I think the main thing that we’re going to have to do all together as a community is mainly concentrate on things like the bridge schedule,” said Herrin.
In a video update, Brigman said NCDOT’s upcoming work on the smaller West Salisbury Street bridge is helping the town better understand when the more significant effects of the bridge projects could begin.
“We now have a more clear timeline of when we can expect the major impacts from the bridge projects to begin,” said Brigman.
Updates on the intersection and bridge projects are available through the town of Wrightsville Beach and NCDOT.
