Wrightsville Avenue Improvements

• Project typeSidewalks and Roundabout
• Project valueConstruction Contract Amount of $6,033,187.04
• Project scheduleConstruction begins summer 2025

Overview

This project will consist of filling all of the sidewalk gaps over the 2.6-mile stretch of Wrightsville Avenue from Independence Boulevard to Hawthorne Drive; completing ADA crosswalks along the route at cross streets; adding a signalized pedestrian crossing at College Road; and building a roundabout at the intersection of Wrightsville Avenue and Wallace Avenue. The roundabout will include new street lighting and a crosswalk.  

A complete tree survey has been conducted to save healthy trees and minimize tree removals to the extent possible. The following priorities have guided the planning and design:

• Provide safe pedestrian connections.
• Minimize right-of-way acquisition.
• Minimize impacts to existing utilities.
• Avoid and preserve existing trees to the extent possible.

View a presentation to City Council from May 2020 about tree preservation efforts on this project here.

(PDF, 2MB)

Timeline

• Design is 100% complete.
• Anticipate construction to begin in summer 2025.
• Project duration estimated to take 15 months.

Project Benefits

• The roundabout will improve traffic flow along Wrightsville where it backs up just east of College Road.
• The sidewalks will provide safe pedestrian connections between multiple neighborhoods, shopping areas, UNCW, the Cross-City Trail, and the River-to-Sea bike route.
• Overall, the project will help provide safe pedestrian/bike connections between multiple neighborhoods, Cape Fear Hospital, shopping areas, UNCW, the Cross-City Trail, and the River-to-Sea bike route