Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
By Abby Cavenaugh
Duplin Journal
Later this spring, a busy Duplin County intersection will be getting a new stoplight in hopes of easing traffic concerns.
Work began last week to install traffic signal lights on NC Highway 41 at the westbound ramps entering and exiting I-40 just outside the town of Wallace.
The new stoplights are the result of a request from the Duplin County Manager to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), said Lauren Haviland, NCDOT Communications Officer for Divisions 2 and 3.
NCDOT was asked “to review for a traffic signal,” she said. “A study was completed and found that the intersection met signal warrants and had a history of several documented crash patterns.”
While the county manager’s office had originally asked for the eastbound ramps to also have traffic lights installed, NCDOT determined that only the westbound ramps met signal warrants, Haviland said. “Just the westbound ramp intersection is getting a signal, which means drivers coming off I-40 coming from Wilmington to turn onto NC 41 toward Wallace or toward Beulaville/River Landing,” she explained.
Duplin County Manager Bryan Miller said the request was made before his time in the position, but he has had several meetings with the NCDOT since becoming county manager.
“Wallace is expanding rapidly,” Miller said. “They’re doing a lot of great things in Wallace, and I certainly understand the need for a stoplight there.”
The project is expected to be completed and operational sometime in April, Haviland said.
Miller added that his most recent meetings with NCDOT focused on adding four-way stops throughout Duplin County. The Board of Commissioners discussed the new all-way stops at their February meeting. The stops will be added at: Tram Road at Bethel Church Road, Tram Road at Bennetts Bridge Road/Scotts Store Road, Tram Road at Red Hill Road, Bowdens Road at Revelle Road, NC 41/NC 11 at Jackson Store Road, NC 50/NC 403 at Warren Road, Warren Road at Solomon Street, Charity Road at Bay Road, NC 11 at Charity Road, NC 11 at Register Road/Stockinghead Road, Liddell Road at Drummersville Road and NC 403 at Beautancus Road.
There is no set schedule for the four-way stops to be installed, according to NCDOT.
