A controversial overpass project will soon reconfigure traffic flow at a busy Wilmington intersection.
The flyover planned for the corner of Eastwood and Military Cutoff roads has caused an uproar among
nearby residents. In April 2025, a resident-organized meeting drew 100 attendees who cited the potential economic impacts of years of construction against what they consider minimal improvements.
The $81.4 million project will transform a highly visible and heavily traveled intersection in one of the most affluent areas of New Hanover County, with Landfall and the future Center Point development on either side of the future infrastructure. Work on the 30-foot overpass is expected to start in the winter of 2027, with a targeted completion date of 2031.
Here’s how the N.C. Department of Transportation will reconfigure the intersection.
What to expect on the overpass
Under the current plans, the project will be a single point urban interchange, which consolidates all traffic movements under one large, signalized overpass. Eastwood Road will be elevated over the intersection, eliminating the bottleneck caused by the eight-phase traffic signal that is currently operating.
By building a bridge and relocating turns, each major corridor can operate independent of one another, reducing overall delays in the area.
The Drysdale Drive extension will be utilized to make left turns and reduce the overall number of cars moving through the intersection.
Resident concerns linger as construction nears
Doug Pruden is a Landfall resident who has been leading the movement to get NCDOT to reconsider the project. Among his many concerns, Pruden said that rerouting traffic to different signals will move the problem rather than address it.
“At busy times, traffic will still back up, just at different intersections,” Pruden said.
Daily traffic at the intersection is projected to rise from 75,000 vehicles per day to 100,000 by 2045, according to NCDOT. Without improvements, the intersection’s service level is expected to drop to an F. It currently operates at an E service level, the second worst.
Before deciding on an overpass, NCDOT also considered a quadrant intersection, which would similarly shift traffic onto a connector roadway. With the Drysdale Drive extension open, Pruden has advocated for NCDOT to implement the changes prior to construction of the overpass.
When asked if the department is considering this, an NCDOT spokesperson provided a description of the planned improvements, noting that work would not begin until it is awarded to a contractor.
Critics of the project, including Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce Chair Susan Bulluck, also point to the potential impact that four years of construction — in conjunction with the replacement of three Wrightsville Beach bridges, could have on local businesses.
NCDOT maintains that construction will utilize temporary lanes and lane closures will be restricted during peak travel times. The department also notes that the Drysdale Drive extension will allow some travelers to avoid the intersection altogether during construction.
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: How traffic will flow on this future Wilmington overpass
