6 days ago
From the archives: A major road takes a bypass around a Brunswick town
More than 30 years ago, a second Brunswick town was prepared to see a highway veer outside of its limits.
According to an article in the Aug. 3, 1991, Wilmington Morning Star, the N.C. Board of Transportation approved a contract for the U.S. 17 bypass around Bolivia. The accepted bid came in just under $3.6 million.
Work was expected to finish by the end of 1992. The state had already completed a four-lane bypass of U.S. 17 around Shallotte.
The Bolivia bypass goes just over seven miles. The original U.S. 17 is now called Business U.S. 17 and Old Ocean Highway.
While eventual plans were to make U.S. 17 a four-lane road statewide, there are still two-lane stretches. One is just north of New Bern to Chocowinity and the other north of Washington to Williamston.
Several eastern North Carolina towns along U.S. 17 have been bypassed in recent years, including Chocowinity, Washington, Pollocksville and Maysville.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: In 1991, NCDOT approved US 17 bypass around Bolivia, NC
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