Project Abstract
The Smith Creek Parkway project of seven plus miles has been a priority since 1972 with the original environmental impact study of alternatives being completed in the 70's. The project was divided into four sections and the two eastern most sections were designed, constructed and opened to traffic. However, the two western most sections required further alternative investigation in final design to minimize impacts.
This projectﾒs development spanned some three decades that saw new environmental concerns arise (wetlands protection, hazardous materials site mitigation, noise/vibration avoidance, and historic preservation). This resulted in the need to develop a new northern alignment and cross-section for the unfinished segments.
Project Description
The Smith Creek Parkway project of seven plus miles has been a priority since 1972 with the original environmental impact study of alternatives being completed in the 70's. The project was divided into four sections and the two eastern most sections (C and D) were designed, constructed and opened to traffic. However, the two western most sections (A and B) required further alternative investigation in final design to minimize impacts. The two highway sections open to traffic are six-lane with median. The alignment and designs for the remaining sections were altered significantly to minimize environmental impacts. The alignment for the remaining sections had to take into consideration a myriad of issues and has resulted in a controlled access 4-lane divided facility which bridges a significant amount of wetland. Specific issues included noise impact at a film studio, hazardous materials at a waste site, vibration of instruments at a manufacturing facility, an existing and possible future spur railway corridor, significant wetland area, tying into the Northeast Cape Fear River Bridge adjacent to the proposed expansion of the downtown historic area (4th Street), and finally a 75 year-old magnolia tree. Numerous meetings and discussions were necessary to satisfactorily resolve the issues with city officials, special interest groups, businesses, residents, and the numerous resource agencies involved. And a high level of coordination was required within the NCDOT among those responsible for project planning, design and construction.
Purpose and Need Summary
Abstracted from the project's Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement of 1998.
The primary purpose of the project is to relieve traffic congestion on Market Street (US 17) in Wilmington. The project will reduce traffic on Market Street by approximately 25 percent and will reduce traffic congestion and travel time delays at several key intersections. The project will also delay the year Market Street reaches traffic operations breakdown and reduce the accident rate related to congestion along Market Street. A secondary purpose is to provide a continuous east-west link between US 74 and downtown Wilmington.
History of the Project
The engineering and environmental issues related to the development of the Smith Creek Parkway corridor were extremely complex. Numerous alternatives have been studied since the 1970's. Every alternative considered which satisfied the project need had potential environmental impacts associated with its implementation. NCDOT began developing construction plans for individual sections with the eastern-most sections being developed first. These two eastern sections have been built and are open to traffic. During the final design of the two western-most sections the NCDOT determined that the noise impacts on a film/TV studio, potential hazardous material impacts from abandoned landfills, and significant wetland incursion warranted evaluation of additional alternative alignments that could minimize these impacts.
In 1992 NCDOT initiated a feasibility study to evaluate alternative alignments to reduce the potential impacts. This produced a shift of the design alignment to the north. During the study of alternatives the NCDOT's Rail Division expressed interest in protecting the potential of future rail service on an abandoned downtown spur rail corridor. The preferred 'Northern Alternative' design alignment reduced unknown impacts and clean-up costs associated with landfills, reduced noise on the film/TV studio, reduced potential impacts to the Downtown Historic District (and its proposed expansion), and preserved the abandoned downtown spur for future rail service. It also included a reduction of typical section from a 6-lane divided roadway to a 4-lane divided roadway and expanded the bridge lengths and replaced a proposed box culvert with a bridge in the wetland areas that reduced impact. This alternative (for the two western-most sections) was approved for final design and subsequent construction in 2001-2002.
Further Reading:
Smith Creek Parkway - North Carolina PDF
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