Tuesday, September 15, 2026 · Past editions

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NCDOT Bridge Review Flags Fifth Avenue, Historic District Risks

New environmental assessment details put $327M in committed funding and the historic district under scrutiny.

North Carolina's Department of Transportation released an Environmental Assessment in August for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement, its clearest picture yet of the tradeoffs between the two options under consideration: a movable bridge with about 65 feet of clearance closed (135 feet open) or a fixed span with a constant 135 feet of clearance. The project is estimated to cost more than $1 billion, with tolling still on the table, and NCDOT is now seeking public input before choosing a final design.

Wilmington City Council debated the project September 1, with members raising concerns about impacts on Fifth Avenue, nearby homes and businesses, and the historic district. John Lennon, a Business Journal opinion contributor who spent six years on the Wilmington Planning Commission (most recently as chairman) and previously served on the N.C. Board of Transportation, wrote that senior city staff appear to have a "fundamental misunderstanding" of how the state review process works, leaving council with incomplete or incorrect information.

Lennon warned that Wilmington risks missing its chance to shape the outcome, or worse, jeopardizing the $327 million in state and federal funding already committed to the bridge. A separate Business Journal editorial echoed the concern, calling on the city to ask hard questions about cost and consequences before the decision is finalized.

Greater Wilmington Business Journal · read · also: Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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Brunswick Planning Board Weighs 450 New Homes Near Ocean Isle Beach

Ryan Homes' 274-unit Tidebourne Landing project alone would push Union Elementary near capacity.

The Brunswick County Planning Board meets Monday to consider two rezonings and two planned developments totaling as many as 450 homes on nearly 170 acres, and to update county rules under House Bill 1222, which took effect July 2 and shifted final development-decision authority from the planning board to county commissioners for new submissions.

Homebuilder Ryan Homes has proposed the largest piece, Tidebourne Landing: 274 single-family units on about 105 acres at 5542 Lakewood Dr. and 5556 Watts Road along Ocean Isle Beach Road, land currently zoned rural residential, medium-density residential and low-density commercial. County staff estimate the project would generate about 2,477 vehicle trips per weekday and have a "significant" impact on nearby Union Elementary School, already at 95% capacity, and NCDOT is recommending two new intersections to handle the added traffic.

Greater Wilmington Business Journal · read

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