A temporary stop work order has been issued for a future New Hanover County trail.
New Hanover issued a temporary suspension of work for the planned multi-use path along North College Road, according to a notice obtained by the StarNews. The notice, issued to East Coast Contracting on Sept. 3, orders the contractor to halt unauthorized land disturbance and clearing activities. Representatives for the contractor declined to comment when reached by phone on Sept. 14.
The letter states that the work began without the required erosion and sediment control measures installed in accordance with approved plans. Surveying and staking of the limits of the disturbance were also not completed before the contractor started the land clearing.
“These conditions
create an immediate risk of work occurring outside approved disturbance areas and may result in sediment leaving the site or otherwise impacting adjacent properties, drainage systems, wetlands, waterways or other protected areas,” the notice states.
Assistant County Manager Lisa Wurtzbacher said that the contractor, engineering firm, N.C. Department of Transportation and county parks staff are working to resolve the issue.
Trails coming to New Hanover
The North College Road trail will run from Gordon Road to Northchase Parkway, terminating at the new Northchase Library. It will be a paved multi-use path spanning 1.8 miles. It is expected to be completed next fall.
A separate project will bring a multi-use path to 2.4 miles of South College Road. It will run from the 17th Street extension to Monkey Junction. Design is complete and construction is expected to begin in 2027.
Beyond College Road, New Hanover has two more trails in the works. A multi-use path will run from Red Cedar Road to the Publix on Market Street in Ogden.
Another project will establish sidewalks along Market Street from Mendenhall Drive to the Walmart in Porters Neck.
Other outdoor improvements
After completing the second phase of Smith Creek Park, New Hanover is also wrapping up improvements at Northern Regional Park in Castle Hayne. The expanded amenities include a BMX pump track, two new multi-purpose fields, parking lot and roadway improvements. The new features are anticipated to open in the early fall.
Additionally, the county is constructing five new clay tennis courts at Echo Farms Park. Construction began in July and is anticipated to be completed by January 2027.
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Stop work order issued for New Hanover trail | Exclusive
