BRUNSWICK COUNTY — The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has finalized funding priority for future projects in Cape Fear Area Rural Planning Organization’s (RPO) planning area.
Five Brunswick County projects were selected for funding through the state’s 2020-2029 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The program identifies and divvies out construction funding needed for projects over a 10-year period.
Four Brunswick County projects were selected, with one project being taken off the table entirely. Cape Fear RPO announced NCDOT’s results Friday, which includes 63.5 million in funding for the region’s 12 selected projects –That’s about 28-percent of the total cost estimated to complete the projects.
The projects
Two Brunswick County ferry projects were selected that also benefit New Hanover County. At $5 million, a plan to create new mooring facilities to accommodate a third ferry for the Southport-Ft. Fisher ferry route is now fully funded.
The new river-class vessel, a $14 million cost, is partially funded. According to NCDOT, the new ferry and mooring facilities are needed to reduce expected passenger congestion.
The mooring facilities have a draft construction date of 2029.
A bicycle and pedestrian project was selected for full funding: NCDOT will help construct a 0.3-mile sidewalk on the east side of North Howe Street in Southport. The sidewalk will connect the ABC Store, where the sidewalk currently ends, to Dosher Memorial Hospital. Estimated construction dates for the $225,000 project are not yet available.
A proposed project on Maco Road, that would have converted the U.S. 74-76 and N.C. 87 intersection into an interchange, was removed from the 2020-2029 STIP.
At $33.5 million, NCDOT agreed to partially fund an N.C. 211 widening project. The project would widen 3.5-miles of N.C. 211 between Midway Road and Sunset Harbor Road to four lanes. According to NCDOT, the project will increase mobility and safety for hurricane and nuclear plant evacuations.
Here’s a breakdown of Brunswick County’s projects that NCDOT recently assigned priority to:
| Mode | Project | Budgeted status | Total cost |
| Ferry | New ferry for Southport-Ft. Fisher route | Partially funded, funding not committed | $14 million |
| Ferry | New mooring facilities for additional ferry | Fully funded, funding likely committed | $5 million |
| Highway | Construct an interchange at U.S. 74-76 and N.C. 87 | Not funded, removed | $51.7 million |
| Highway | Widen N.C. 211 to four lanes from Sunset Harbor Road to N.C. 906 | Partially funded, funding not committed | $33.5 million |
| Bicycle and pedestrian | Construct sidewalk in Southport from ABC Store to hospital | Fully funded | $255,000 |
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