Students excited about proposed pedestrian bridge | News

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Students on the campus of UNCW are excited about the possibility of a safer trip to class using a proposed pedestrian bridge over South College Road.

Tuesday night, Wilmington City Council  approved four transportation-related resolutions, including one to move forward on building a pedestrian walkway bridge over South College Road, near the intersection with Randall Parkway.

According to the proposal put forward by Sterling Cheatham, the City Manager, "an elevated non-vehicular bridge for cyclists and pedestrians seeking to cross South College Road is identified in the developing University of North Carolina-Wilmington's (UNCW) Multi-Modal Study".

The unanimous vote by council allows the City Manager to submit an application to the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization for Surface Transportation Program-Direct Apportionment Funds that would pay for most of the project, estimated to be approximately $3M. The city would have to put up $600,000 in matching funds for the project.

Students like Phillip Wheat say it's a dangerous intersection.  "You got to look out for the traffic," said Wheat.   "Traffic won't look out for you.  A lot of times people don't worry about the pedestrians as much as they worry about themselves."

Chelsea Blahut is a senior at UNCW.  She's pleased that city leaders are looking out for her safety.  "I'm glad that people notice this is an issue," said Blahut.  "I know a lot of people are uncomfortable having to deal with moving traffic when trying to get to class."

Also covered in the resolutions are constructing a crossing on the west side of the Heide Trask drawbridge, realigning the intersection of Wrightsville & Greenville Avenues, and separated bicycle and pedestrian facility on Park Avenue.

For more on the projects, click here.

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