Today's News

A year-and-a-half after Leland Mayor Pro Tem Pat Batleman reported the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization was supposed to cut the number of potential routes for a third bridge across the Cape Fear River, northern Brunswick County residents are still waiting to learn where it will cross their path.

The Cape Fear Crossing project proposes building a 9.5-mile road with another bridge over the Cape Fear River to help improve traffic and freight movement from U.S. 17 and Interstate 140 in Brunswick County to U.S. 421 near the Port of Wilmington.

LELAND—Cape Fear Area Rural Planning Organization representatives found out Feb. 6 which of their recommended transportation projects have moved one step closer to full funding by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

The CFRPO includes officials from Brunswick, Pender and Columbus Counties, NCDOT and the Cape Fear Council of Governments.

CAROLINA SHORES — The Grand Strand Area Transportation Study transportation advisory committee approved a resolution Feb. 8 to adopt North Carolina Department of Transportation safety performance measures after a spike in fatalities and injuries from 2016 to 2017.

“Unfortunately, 2017 was a year when we experienced a large increase in the number of fatalities. In 2016 we had six fatalities. In 2017 we had 15 fatalities,” GSATS Dan Newquist said.

ATMC is accepting applications for the 2019 Community Connections and Smart Connections Grant Programs. This year, $35,000 in Community Connections grant funds will be awarded to nonprofits serving Brunswick County and $35,000 in Smart Connections funds will be given to educators in Brunswick County and areas of Columbus County served by ATMC.