On May 20, the Greater Wilmington Business Journal posted an opinion from the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce via its CEO. The opinion piece offers little explanation of exactly how/why the Eastwood Road overpass (aka the “Flyover," or formally U-5710) will significantly improve traffic or benefit businesses and residents, while presenting some misleading statements regarding the project. 

We ask readers to understand the following fact checks to see why a growing number of residents and businesses oppose U-5710: 

#1 – Opinion: It will improve safety. FACTS: Using the city of Wilmington’s 10-year data on number of traffic accidents at intersections, we found Eastwood/Military Cutoff (MCO) had the FEWEST accidents by far in comparison to MLK/College, College/Oleander, College/New Centre, Market/Eastwood. If the primary motivation is safety, NCDOT should be spending our tax dollars elsewhere in Division 3, not at Eastwood/MCO. 

#2 - Opinion: “It was not created simply to bring more traffic to the beach." FACTS: Original documents describing U-5710 state that (their order, not ours): “Eastwood Road, a principal arterial, serves as the primary east-west connector between the city of Wilmington and the town of Wrightsville Beach. The route is heavily utilized by visitors and tourists destined for the Atlantic coast, particularly during off-peak hours and weekends. Military Cutoff Road, also a principal arterial…” We all know that MCO is much more heavily traveled. It should have been widened years ago. We all know there is no place for more vehicles to park at the beach. 

#3 – Opinion: “Greater Wilmington has a “shrinking labor market” and it is “difficult for businesses to recruit/retain employees." FACTS: A few sentences later, the Chamber CEO counters her own claim. The CEO states “growth…is already happening."  How can there be population growth and a shortage of employees? Ill-conceived infrastructure, such as the torturous flyover design, won’t help this situation. 

#4 – Opinion: It is a priority, rated 52 out of 514 needed projects in the entire state of NC. FACTS: Back in 2015 it was scored that way, but much has changed since that time. This is 2026. Hurricanes have caused issues elsewhere which should’ve changed scoring priorities. The Drysdale Drive Extension project, money spent yet left unfinished, could dramatically reduce waiting time NOW at Eastwood/MCO if NCDOT were to be willing to try that. NCDOT’s own rules require reengagement with the public (hasn’t happened) in the case of major unforeseen local impact; the emergency replacement (for safety measures) of Wrightsville Beach bridges just 2 miles away would qualify. Building those and this overpass simultaneously will have crippling effects on the local area. Recent technology advancements in traffic light management could also be applied offering a less intrusive means for improving traffic flow.  

#5 – Opinion: “Heavy traffic already exists in the corridor today.” FACTS: Agreed, the heaviest traffic is on MCO, and NCDOT can’t do anything to reduce the number of vehicles from Bradley Creek to Gordon Road. Here’s what people miss: delays in the corridor fluctuate wildly, depending on the month of the year, day of the week and even hour of the day.  NCDOT’s own 20-year data shows seasonally adjusted traffic volume as high as 71,752 vpd (vehicles per day) on a typical July Saturday and as low as 18,549 in January. NCDOT’s flyover plan would eliminate just 1 of 10 stoplights along that road while adding one. Imagine cruising along an empty MCO or Eastwood Flyover at 8:30 p.m. and wondering why this was considered the only solution? Dropping $100 million worth of concrete on a fully mature intersection to “help” the highest volume peaks doesn’t fly. 
 
The U-5710 design may have sounded reasonable to some in 2015 but fails the test of common sense today. The opposition has been learning how little this project will accomplish, while crippling the area during construction (projected 4 years, but experience proves longer). It will tower 30 feet above Eastport community homes and nearby businesses (rendering on NCDOT website misrepresents this fact), causing construction chaos and noise/air pollution hazards, all the while just moving drivers a few yards down the road to wait at a different stoplight. The cost? $15 million for Drysdale Extension (unfinished) + current budget of $81 million, which will surely exceed that total of almost $100 million of your taxpayer dollars.  

ALL WE’VE EVER ASKED: POSTPONE UNTIL AFTER (THE WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH BRIDGE PROJECTS) AND REEVALUATE IN THE MEANTIME – keeping the funds in NC Division 3 if repurposed

1) Delay U-5710 until WB bridges are completed. 
2) Finish Drysdale Extension to replace left turns at Eastwood/MCO. Post clear signage. Do planned re-curbing, lane striping and widening and adjust timing of lights – NOW  
 3) NCDOT plans to use Drysdale Extension to replace left turns at the intersection anyway after overpass is done. Why not just do it NOW? ILM Traffic Engineering’s own data shows a reduction of current wait of 93 seconds to 28 secoonds. Additional southbound and northbound lanes on MCO by disallowing left turns would increase throughput by 50% on each greenlight sequence.  
 4) Take actual and detailed measurements of resulting reductions in waiting; compare to those other area intersections mentioned above in Opinion #1.      
5) Apply smart, AI-managed traffic signals as being done in Raleigh, to manage traffic flow better along these corridors. There are now 9 traffic lights in just 3 miles of MCO. Traffic flow could be improved without ever constructing an overpass.    
6) THEN and only then decide where the taxpayer money needs to be spent in Division 3!
 
Phil Clark, OmniStar Financial Group
Kim and Matt Lennert, Spoonfed Kitchen