Hampstead Bypass fully funded

HAMPSTEAD – The Hampstead Bypass is fully funded and moving ahead, announced Pender County Commissioner David Piepmeyer.

“The funding, approximately $113 million, for construction of both sections of the Hampstead Bypass has finally been formally approved,” said Piepmeyer. “While design of both sections is in its final stages and land acquisition is well underway, this clears the path to allow construction to being in 2020 with completion coming in 2025.”

The Hampstead Bypass design is 13-miles of four lane divided highway. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the “A” Section of the bypass connects I-140 to NC 210. The second section, known as the “B” Section, links NC 210 to US 17 north of Topsail High School.

“This is the biggest project in Division 3 and it is being funded in large part because of the regional support it received from the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) as well as the NCDOT Division 2 and Division 3,” said Piepmeyer, who represents Pender County on the WMPO. He serves as the current chairman of the WMPO.

“I know 2025 seems like a long time in the future, but this has been greatly accelerated and is a much better date than was forecasted in the original plan,” said Piepmeyer.

“The Hampstead bypass along with the safety improvements on Business US 17 will alleviate pressure and help prevent crashes along almost all of the US 17 corridor in Pender County,” said David Williams, Pender County commissioner who previously served on the WMPO. “Safety has always been our driver on this project.”

For additional information regarding the Hampstead Bypass visit https://www.ncdot.gov.

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