More traffic spurs town to consider new bike lanes, parking spots
By Emmy Errante
Staff Writer
Wrightsville Beach leaders anticipate a major influx of traffic from residential development just west of the Heide Trask Drawbridge, and solutions they discussed during their annual retreat Jan. 12 included creating more bike lanes and nearly 70 additional parking spaces around town.
The board of aldermen discussed the possibilities as part of its long-range traffic flow plan. The revenue from the added parking spaces would also help the town save money for beach renourishment, which Mayor Blair said is more critical now than ever, as it appears inevitable federal government funding will run out soon.
“I don’t think there’s any question, federal funding is going away,” Blair said, citing a recent meeting with U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. “It may not be this year, but this beach needs to plan on managing that financial burden in some form.”
The proposed parking spaces would be added in two locations: Old Causeway Drive and Shell Island. Fifteen parallel spots currently exist on the west end of Old Causeway Drive, and between 20 and 24 spaces could be added by creating side-by-side spaces there instead.
Blair said before committing to that project, he wants to compare the project’s cost to the yearly revenue the extra spaces would generate. He asked town manager Tim Owens to bring those numbers to the town’s Jan. 14 parking meeting.
The town could also add about 44 spaces at the island’s north end where a cul-de-sac currently exists. The initial plan calls for widening the cul-de-sac and creating side-by-side spaces around the circumference and parallel parking on the west side of N. Lumina Avenue.
Ambiguity over what part of that land is town-owned, county-owned and a N.C. Department of Transportation right-of-way has hindered the project so far. Mason Inlet used to divide town property from county property, town attorney John Wessell said, but in the early 2000s dredging moved the inlet 3,000 feet north. The town had the area surveyed recently and determined the former location of the sandbags, which Wessell said marked the end of town property.
“That’s where the inlet was,” he explained, “and it was the demarcation of the town’s property at that point. Everything south of that is ours.”
Owens said the N.C. DOT would also have to approve the project, and those representatives are hesitating because the current cul-de-sac is on a DOT right-of-way.
That’s true, Owens said, but it is technically the town’s land.
Regardless, Blair said he wanted full approval from the DOT before Wrightsville Beach leaders discussed the project further.
While the aldermen agreed the increase in vehicle traffic is inevitable, they hope making the town’s roads safer for cyclists will cut down on that traffic by encouraging visitors to bike to the beach.
The town has added bike lanes on Lumina Avenue, alderwoman Lisa Weeks said, and now it’s time to create one on Causeway Drive. Sporadic parallel parking on the southern side of Causeway Drive causes cyclists traveling east to weave into the roadway to avoid parked cars, she said.
“I was biking back from Poe’s [Tavern] the other night,” she said. “It’s really dangerous.”
She suggested getting rid of the few parallel parking spaces on Causeway Drive and widening the shoulder on the north side of the road for those biking west. But some Causeway Drive residents are worried about increased bike traffic, Blair said. The residents, many of whom back out of their driveways, have voiced safety concerns about the visibility of cyclists. Before proceeding with the project he wants to canvas those residents to gauge their support.
Weeks argued that with the traffic increase looming, it’s important to consider the bigger picture.
“I’m trying to look at the greater good and encourage fewer cars on the road,” she said.
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Bicycle lanes on Causeway dr as Lisa Weeks mentioned would create a much safer place for bicycle traffic. Cars backing out of their drive ways is not a reason to abort this type of project as they exist on bike lanes everywhere. The loss of parking is a small inconvenience to be traded for the lives of cyclists who are coming to the beach anyway. Please proceed with this action, as it is long over due. I was on the Parks and Rec advisory committee in the early 80’s when this idea first came up to my knowledge. Thanks, jim mincher
Sorry folks, I think it’s too late for WB. They have waited far too long to confront this problem. Bike lanes will help me, but an off-beach parking deck with a free shuttle would have worked wonders. But I think all of that land is spoken for except in and around the park. Prove me wrong WB or are you still living in the 50’s?