HAMPSTEAD — According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the U.S. 17 Hampstead Bypass will break ground Friday.
READ MORE: Hampstead Bypass construction to start in February, NCDOT awards contract
The groundbreaking will take place at 11 a.m. with NCDOT staff, including secretary Eric Boyette, and elected officials on site. Construction will then begin on the first section of the bypass to help improve traffic flow between Pender and New Hanover counties.
Hampstead has experienced considerable growth over the last decade — a 79% population increase, which has around 43,000 vehicles travel U.S. 17 daily.
First approved in 2014 following environmental assessments and design reviews, the bypass project will be broken up into two segments. Construction on the first will take place from N.C. 210 to north of Hampstead, according to a release from the NCDOT. The second section will extend from N.C. 140 to N.C. 210 and is projected to begin in late 2026, when the northern phase will open.
Completion is expected by 2030. The $429 million project is funded by the State Transportation Improvement Program.
More information on the Hampsetad Bypass can be found here.
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