Improvements of the Market Street corridor have been studied for many years.  In July 2010, the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization and NCDOT published the Market Street Corridor Study, which provided a vision for future improvements to the facility.

U-4902 B

This section of the project proposes to improve the existing U.S. 17 Business (Market Street).  It will convert the existing center turn lane on Market Street to a raised median from just west of CSX railroad to Cinema Drive, and from Jacksonville Street to U.S. 177/N.C. 132 (College Road).  Full access median crossovers will be provided at signalized intersections and partial median openings will be provided at other public streets.

Market Street is a congested roadway that exhibits high occurrences of rear end and left turn crashes compared to statewide averages.  The conversion of the center turn lane to a raised median will also decrease the frequency of crashes by channelizing all left turn movements into designated access points.

U-4902 C  - ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED 

This section of the project will improve the existing U.S. 74 (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)/U.S. 17 Business (Market Street) intersection.  The intersection will be converted to an interchange and the existing center turn lane on Market Street will be converted to a raised median from U.S. 177/N.C. 132 (College Road) to Station Road.  Full access median crossovers will be provided at signalized intersections and partial median openings will be provided at other public streets.  The project is approximately 2.25 miles long.

Market Street is a congested roadway that exhibits high occurrences of rear end and left turn crashes compared to statewide averages.  The proposed project will improve connectivity by improving the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Market Street intersection.  The intersection improvement, in addition to the access management improvements gained with the introduction of the raised median, will contribute to decreased congestion on Market Street.  The conversion of the center turn lane to a raised median will also decrease the frequency of crashes by channelizing all left turn movements into designated access points.

NCDOT proposed three alternatives for the U.S. 74 (Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway)/U.S. 17 Business (Market Street) intersection modification. 

Alternative 1:  Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI)

This alternative would carry Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway over Market Street using a bridge.   

Under this alternative:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway travelers would have an unobstructed, non-stop flow north and south
• All left and right turn movements at the current intersection will be maintained beneath the bridge.

Alternative 2:  At Grade Quadrant Intersection 

A quadrant roadway intersection adds an additional "quadrant roadway" between two legs of an intersection.

• This roadway intersection moves all left turns away from the main intersection. 
• The new quadrant roads would be located in the southwest and northeast quadrants (corners). 
• The current Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway/Market Street intersection will be maintained for through traffic. 
• The design allows for reduced signal phase time and increased through movement.  

Alternative 3:  Grade Separated Quadrant Intersection

As with the At Grade Quadrant Intersection additional quadrant roadways between the southwest and northeast quadrants (corners). 

• With this alternative: Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway would be carried over Market Street via a bridge. 
• The bridge, as with Alternative 1, would provide travelers on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway an unobstructed, non-stop flow north and south.   
• Access between roadways would be by use of the quadrant roadways.

U-4902C - Preferred Alternative Identified

The comment forms provided at the December 7, 2017 public meeting included a space to mark preference for one of the three Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway and US 17 Business interchange alternatives.

34 comments were received following the public meeting. 

27 of those comments indicated a preference: 

63 percent of respondents preferred Alternative 1 (Single Point Urban Interchange)

16 percent indicated a preference for Alternative 3 (Grade-Separated Quadrant). 

The Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI)

was identified as the public’s preference.

Following the decision to add the interchange at Market Street and Martin Luther King Jr Parkway, traffic was reviewed and dual left turns were added from Eastwood Road to Racine Drive. 

A decision was also made to extend the project to provide a median between Racine Drive and Cardinal Drive. 

The addition of this section will provide continuity on Eastwood Road from Market Street to Autumn Hall Drive.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

The NCDOT project team reviews all feedback – regardless of how it is submitted (online, phone, email, or letter) – and explores options to incorporate comments and address concerns where and when feasible.  

PUBLIC MEETINGS

NCDOT hosted a public meeting for U-4902C on March 10, 2016. 

NCDOT hosted a second public meeting for U-4902C on December 7, 2017 to display alternatives for Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway and Market Street intersection improvements and to provide information on U-4902B and U-4902C.  

ESTIMATED COSTS 

Project U-4902B is included in the N.C. Department of Transportation’s State Transportation Improvement Program and is funded for $8 million.

Project U-4902C is included in the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Draft State Transportation Improvement Program and is funded for $51.3 million.

* Estimated costs are subject to change.

TIMELINE

* Future dates are preliminary and subject to change.

PUBLIC MEETING MAPS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS

December 7, 2017 Meeting Maps and Documents

Visualizations 

(Files are large and may take extended time to download)

Persons who  do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494.

Aquellas personas que no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan antes de la reunión llamando al 1-800-481-6494.

COMMENTS/QUESTIONS

PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION

RESOURCES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS

Although the N.C. Department of Transportation works to minimize the number of homes and businesses displaced by a road project, it is inevitable, in many cases, that a certain amount of private property is needed. The following information explains right of way acquisition and answers questions about the process.  

Relocation Assistance Brochure                                Asistencia para Reubicación      
Right-of-Way Acquisition Process Brochure            Folleto del Proceso de Adquisición de Bienes Raíces
Right-of-Way Frequently Asked Questions