PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The N.C.  Department of Transportation is proposing to extend Jacksonville Parkway (S.R. 2714) from N.C. 53 (Western Boulevard) to U.S. 17 (New Bern Highway), a distance of approximately 4 miles. The corridor is a mixture of residential and commercial uses and serves as a commuter route to and from Camp Lejeune. The Jacksonville Parkway extension will serve as an important connector to Western Boulevard and U.S. 17, improving overall mobility in the area.

The proposed project is located in northeast Jacksonville, which is located in Onslow County.  The City of Jacksonville is the 14th largest city in North Carolina and is home to the largest Marine Corps base on the east coast, Camp Lejeune, and also to the Marine Corps air station New River. The project study area is located partially within the City of Jacksonville’s limits and partially within unincorporated Onslow County.

The Department of Defense is one of the largest employers for the county, employing over 91,000 people.  It is projected for the number of jobs to increase to 150,000 in Onslow County by 2045. Camp Lejeune is located approximately 5.5 miles southeast of the proposed project, and the Marine Corps Air Station is located approximately 4.5 miles southwest of the project.

Onslow County has an economy that is focused mainly on tourism and commercial activity geared toward Camp Lejeune.  U.S. 17 and U.S. 258 are used as primary tourist commuter routes to coastal communities. The proposed project is located approximately 2.5 miles northeast of the New River and downtown Jacksonville. Jacksonville Commons and Richard Ray Park are two prominent recreational resources located within the project vicinity, which increases the demand for bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities in the area.

According to Jacksonville Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (JUMPO) 2045 MTP, long-term goals for the area include congestion reduction, economic vitality, environmental sustainability, multimodal integration, safety and security, and system preservation.

TRAFFIC AND LEVEL OF SERVICE

There are several intersections along the Western Boulevard corridor that currently operate under congested conditions and “fair” to “poor” Level of Service (LOS)* at peak hours (AM or PM). LOS D (approaching unstable flow) is considered “fair” conditions. LOS E (unstable flow) and LOS F (breakdown in flow) are considered “poor” conditions.  While traffic operations along Ramsey Road do not indicate congested conditions at this time, increases in traffic are expected to worsen traffic conditions along the roadway in the future and decrease LOS along the roadway.

• Traffic levels along Ramsey Road are expected to increase 100-225% over the next 20 years
• Traffic along Western Boulevard is expected to increase 24-57% in the next 20 years
• Traffic along U.S 17 is expected to increase 37-69% during this same time period

There are limited options for transportation access in this area of Jacksonville.

*The relationship of travel demand compared to the roadway capacity determines the level of service (LOS) of a roadway. Six levels of service identify the range of possible conditions. Designations range from LOS A, which represents the best operating conditions, to LOS F, which represents the worst operating conditions. 

The Jacksonville Urban Area MPO’s (JUMPO) 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) states that the Jacksonville Parkway Extension Project is an important connection needed to enhance mobility, improve accessibility, and provide an alternative connection to U.S. 17.

The primary purposes of the proposed project are to:

• Provide an alternate route to alleviate existing and future congestion along existing roadways

The project will help alleviate congestion along existing roadways by distributing vehicles to the alternative route, as well as by increasing roadway capacity along Ramsey Road.

• Provide an alternative route to enhance mobility along Western Boulevard and U.S. 17

The new location roadway will provide an alternative route for drivers to avoid congestion along existing roadways.​

CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVE SCREENING

The project team developed a screening process for the development and evaluation of alternatives. The first screening determined which general concepts should be eliminated from further consideration based on whether they meet the purpose and need.  In addition to the No-Build Alternative, five general approaches were considered, including system strategies (Travel Demand Management [TDM] and Transportation System Management [TSM}), mass transit, new location alternatives, and improvements to the existing roadway.

First Screening Results – General Approaches

The second screening of the corridor alternatives evaluates the ability of each of the five potential corridors to meet the project’s purpose and need based on the established screening criteria as well as design considerations, traffic operations, and impacts to the human and natural environments. The screening compares corridor concepts and eliminates those that are unreasonable, impractical, and/or have higher impacts or less improvement to traffic flow. 

CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVES CARRIED FORWARD FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION  - June 2021

• Alternative 1A – New Northwestern Alignment and Ramsey Widening

• Alternative 1B – New Northwestern Alignment and Ramsey Widening

• Alternative 2A – New Southeastern Alignment and Ramsey Widening

• Alternative 2B – New Southeastern Alignment

• Alternative 3   – Improve Existing Western Boulevard and New Bern Highway

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CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVES CARRIED FORWARD FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION  - October 2021

• Alternative 1B – New Northwestern Alignment and Ramsey Widening

• Alternative 2B – New Southeastern Alignment

CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVES UPDATE - April 2023 

After receiving input from the public, state and federal agency partners and local stakeholders, an additional alternative was added.  The following alternatives have been carried forward for detailed study:

• No Build Alternative

• 1B Revised

• 2B Revised

• 2C Revised

MAPS

Maps of detailed study alternatives

(These maps will open in a new browser window where you can view or download them)

Alternative 1B-REVISED (Blue)

Alternative 2B-REVISED (Green)

Alternative 2C-REVISED (Tan)

NEXT STEPS

Preliminary designs for the alternatives will be advanced and evaluated in the State Environmental Assessment (EA)/ Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI)

The Draft SEA/FONSI is expected to be completed in Spring of 2024, followed by a design public meeting.  A Preferred Alternative will be identified for the project and presented in a final environmental document. 

NCDOT accepts comments throughout all planning, design and construction phases of project development.

All comments will be taken into consideration, and carry equal weight, regardless of submittal method.  

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 Phone Number: (855) 925-2801 Code: 2342

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