Interstate 140 (North Carolina) - Future

Future

In 2009, NCDOT announced plans to complete the southern portion of the western leg instead of the central portion requiring construction of a bridge across the Cape Fear River. In response to this decision, city leaders from the town of Navassa filed a discrimination complaint against NCDOT claiming the town is frequently denied funding for infrastructure improvements and other projects. Planning for future construction would continue, and in March 2010 NCDOT awarded a $81.7 million contract to Barnhill Contracting Company. The project involves the construction of the 6.118-mile (9.846 km) segment between the US 74/76 intersection and US 17 south of Leland. Construction of the segment began in March 2010 and is slated for completion by July 2, 2013, as a result of receiving partial funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This section was originally not funded with construction not expected to begin until after 2012 prior to receiving federal stimulus funding.

Originally, the freeway was scheduled to be extended from its current terminus at US 421 to US 74-76 first. Presently, this leg will be the final segment of the route to open, with construction estimated to begin in 2012 and be completed within three years. Additionally, a proposed toll road could extend 8 miles (13 km) further southeast, from US 17 to a terminus at US 421 and Independence Boulevard using the proposed Cape Fear Skyway bridge.

As part of the expansion into Brunswick County, NCDOT designed several wildlife crossings to allow for the black bear and other animals to safely cross the corridor in the vicinity of the Battle Royal Natural Heritage Site. The crossings will include the extension of four bridges to provide some upland areas from animal crossings along water bodies and the construction of a 12-foot (3.7 m) by 6-foot (1.8 m) wildlife tunnel just north of the US 74-76 interchange.

In addition to the segments of I-140 slated for completion, a pair of additional exits have been proposed for the existing alignment at both Blue Clay and Military Cutoff Roads. In 2002 the North Carolina Board of Transportation appropriated $10 million for the construction of an interchange at Blue Clay Road. The interchange would serve in providing better access to both Wilmington International Airport and the Cape Fear Community College North Campus, and will be constructed sometime in the future. The interchange at Military Cutoff Road would involve the extension of the road from its present terminus at Market Street approximately 4 miles (6.4 km). Presently NCDOT has $18.1 million budgeted in 2012 to purchase the necessary right-of-way and move forward with preliminary engineering.