HomeMy WebLinkAboutTIA Approval Letter - 2-2-2026 - with Note
February 2, 2026
Ms. Erin Govea, P.E.
Davenport
4600 Marriott Drive, Suite 340
Raleigh, NC 27612
RE: Approval with conditions for the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) associated with the Hilton Bluffs
development in New Hanover County, North Carolina
Dear Ms. Govea,
The WMPO has coordinated the review of the Hilton Bluffs TIA (sealed December 16, 2025) by NCDOT and
New Hanover County Staff. Based on the information provided and conversations held to date, it is our
understanding that the proposed development will be built in four phases and will consist of:
Phase 1 (build year 2026)
• ITE LUC 210 Single Family Detached Housing – 98 DU
Phase 2 (build year 2029)
• ITE LUC 210 Single Family Detached Housing – 490 DU
• ITE LUC 251 Senior Adult Housing Single Family – 210 DU
Phase 3 (build year 2034)
• ITE LUC 210 Single Family Detached Housing – 1,470 DU
• ITE LUC 251 Senior Adult Housing Single Family – 630 DU
Full Build (build year 2044)
• ITE LUC 210 Single Family Detached Housing – 2,860 DU
• ITE LUC 251 Senior Adult Housing Single Family – 1,225 DU
The following improvements are required for this development:
Approval with Conditions for Hilton Bluffs
Traffic Impact Analysis – New Hanover
Page 2 of 7
NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) at SR 1175 (Kerr Avenue)/Riverside Drive (existing signalized intersection)
• Phase 1
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 2
o Modify the existing continuous westbound left turn lane on N Kerr Avenue to provide 575 feet of
storage and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Extend the existing westbound right turn lane on N Kerr Avenue to provide continuous storage.
o Extend the existing westbound thru lane on N Kerr Avenue to provide 250 feet of full-width storage
with appropriate taper.
• Phase 3
o Construct an exclusive northbound right turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with 100 feet of storage
and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Construct an additional southbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with 200 feet of storage
and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Construct an additional eastbound receiving lane on N Kerr Avenue with 2,000 feet of storage and
appropriate acceleration and taper lengths.
o Modify the signal to accommodate the above improvements.
• Full Build
o Channelize the existing westbound right turn lane on N Kerr Avenue as a free-flowing movement.
o Construct an additional northbound receiving lane on Castle Hayne Road, terminating as a drop
right turn lane onto Sheridan Drive.
o Modify the signal to accommodate the above improvements.
I-140 Eastbound Ramps at NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) (existing signalized intersection)
• Phase 1
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 2
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 3
o No improvements are required.
• Full Build
o Construct an additional southbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with 250 feet of storage
and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Construct an additional eastbound receiving lane on I-140 Eastbound Ramp with maximum storage
and appropriate acceleration and taper lengths.
o Extend the westbound left turn lane on I -140 Eastbound Ramp to 350 feet of storage with
appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Extend the westbound right turn lane on I-140 Eastbound Ramp to provide continuous storage.
Approval with Conditions for Hilton Bluffs
Traffic Impact Analysis – New Hanover
Page 3 of 7
o Modify the existing westbound thru turn lane on I-140 Eastbound Ramp to provide 75 feet of full
width storage and appropriate taper.
o Modify the signal to accommodate the above improvements.
I-140 Westbound Ramps/Centennial Drive at NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) (existing signalized intersection)
• Phase 1
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 2
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 3
o Construct an additional southbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with 400 feet of storage
and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Construct an additional eastbound receiving lane on I-140 Westbound Ramp with maximum storage
and appropriate acceleration and taper lengths.
o Construct an additional southbound thru lane on Castle Hayne Road extending back to McDougald
Drive.
o Modify the signal to accommodate the above improvements.
• Full Build
o Construct an additional westbound left turn lane on I-140 Westbound Ramp with 250 feet of storage
and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Extend the existing westbound right turn lane on I -140 Westbound Ramp to provide 450 feet of
storage and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Modify the signal to accommodate the above improvements.
NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) at Sledge Road/Site Access 1 (existing unsignalized intersection)
• Phase 1
o Construct the eastbound approach (Sledge Road) with one ingress lane and two egress lanes, striped
as a continuous right turn lane and a left turn lane with 175 feet of storage and appropriate
deceleration and taper lengths.
o Provide stop control for the eastbound approach.
o Construct a northbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with 100 feet of storage and appropriate
deceleration and taper lengths.
• Phase 2
o Alternative 1 (Preferred):
▪ Signalize the intersection and provide necessary communication equipment for coordination
given that McDougald Drive connects directly to Sledge Road at an appropriate distance
from the intersection.
▪ Construct a southbound right turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with continuous full-width
storage extending back to McDougald Drive.
Approval with Conditions for Hilton Bluffs
Traffic Impact Analysis – New Hanover
Page 4 of 7
o Alternative 2:
▪ Install a clustered traffic control signal with McDougald Drive and provide necessary
communication equipment for coordination.
▪ Construct a southbound right turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with continuous full-width
storage extending back to McDougald Drive.
• Phase 3
o Construct an additional eastbound right turn lane on Sledge Road with 325 feet of storage and
appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Construct an additional southbound receiving lane on Castle Hayne Road extending to connect to
the two-lane segment of Castle Hayne Road approximately 400 feet north of Hermitage Road.
o Extend the existing northbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road to provide 650 feet of storage
and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
▪ This is the Full Build storage length. If the developer wishes to phase this improvement, then
for Phase 3 construct a turn lane with 425 feet of storage. Phasing the turn lane will require
a full overlay when the turn lane is extended for Full Build.
o Construct an additional northbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with 650 feet of storage
and appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
▪ This is the Full Build storage length. If the developer wishes to phase this improvement, then
for Phase 3 construct a turn lane with 425 feet of storage. Phasing the turn lane will require
a full overlay when the turn lane is extended for Full Build.
o Construct an additional westbound receiving lane on Sledge Road with 2,000 feet of storage and
appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
• Full Build
o Extend the northbound left turn lanes on Castle Hayne Road to provide 650 feet of storage and
appropriate deceleration and taper lengths if the full length was not constructed in Phase 3.
o Construct an additional northbound thru lane on Castle Hayne Road, beginning at Hermitage Road
connecting to the existing drop right turn lane, and terminating 2,000 feet north of McDougald Drive.
o Construct an additional southbound thru lane on Castle Hayne Road, beginning 400 feet north of
McDougald Drive and connecting to the existing two-lane segment of Castle Hayne Road
approximately 400 feet north of Hermitage Road.
o Reconstruct the southbound right turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with continuous full-width storage
extending back to McDougald Drive.
NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) at SR 2106 (McDougald Drive) (existing unsignalized intersection)
• Phase 1
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 2
o Alternative 1 (Preferred):
Approval with Conditions for Hilton Bluffs
Traffic Impact Analysis – New Hanover
Page 5 of 7
▪ Connect McDougald Drive directly to Sledge Road at an appropriate distance from the
intersection.
▪ Construct a northbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with continuous full-width
storage extending back to Sledge Road.
o Alternative 2:
▪ Install a clustered traffic control signal with Sledge Road and provide necessary
communication equipment for coordination.
▪ Construct a northbound left turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with continuous full-width
storage extending back to Sledge Road.
• Phase 3
o No improvements are required in this phase.
• Full Build
o Continue the additional northbound thru lane on Castle Hayne Road that begins at Hermitage Road
and terminates 2,000 feet north of McDougald Drive.
o Continue the additional southbound thru lane on Castle Hayne Road that begins 400 feet north of
McDougald Drive and connects to the existing two-lane segment of Castle Hayne Road
approximately 400 feet north of Hermitage Road.
NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) at SR 1337 (Marathon Avenue)/Site Access 2 (existing unsignalized intersection)
• Phase 1
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 2
o Construct an eastbound right turn lane on Marathon Avenue with 75 feet of storage and appropriate
deceleration and taper lengths.
• Phase 3
o Signalize the intersection and provide necessary communication equipment for coordination.
o Construct a southbound right turn lane on Castle Hayne Road with 100 feet of storage and
appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
• Full Build
o No further improvements are required.
US 117/NC132 (N College Road) at NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) (existing roundabout)
• Phase 1
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 2
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 3
o Reconfigure the roundabout to be consistent with the attached design concept.
• Full Build
Approval with Conditions for Hilton Bluffs
Traffic Impact Analysis – New Hanover
Page 6 of 7
o Monitor the intersection for metering needs and provide metering if warranted.
NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) at SR 1002 (Holly Shelter Road)/Gas Station Driveway (existing signalized
intersection)
• Phase 1
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 2
o No improvements are required.
• Phase 3
o Restripe the westbound approach of Holly Shelter Road to provide a continuous shared thru/right
turn lane and an exclusive left turn lane with 500 feet of storage and appropriate deceleration and
taper lengths.
o Construct an additional westbound left turn lane on Holly Shelter Road with 500 feet of storage and
appropriate deceleration and taper lengths.
o Construct an additional southbound receiving lane on Castle Hayne Road extending to connect with
the southbound thru/right turn lane at N College Road/Garden Place.
o Extend the existing northbound right turn lane on Castle Hayne Road to provide continuous storage
extending to the intersection of Castle Hayne Road and College Road/Garden Place Drive.
o Restripe the southbound right turn lane on Castle Hayne Road to provide a shared thru/right turn
lane with full storage extending back to Lynn Avenue.
o Modify the signal to accommodate the above improvements.
• Full Build
o No further improvements are required.
If changes are made to the proposed site driveways and/or land uses, the current trip distribution may need to
be modified and would require a revised Traffic Impact Analysis to be submitted for review by the NCDOT,
WMPO, and New Hanover County, in which instance this approval would become null and void.
The applicant is required to obtain all applicable New Hanover County and NCDOT permits for access to the road
network. A copy of this TIA approval shall be included with any NCDOT driveway permit application. All applicable
NCDOT and New Hanover County technical standards and policies shall apply.
Please contact me at (910) 473-5130 with any questions regarding this approval.
Approval with Conditions for Hilton Bluffs
Traffic Impact Analysis – New Hanover
Page 7 of 7
Sincerely,
Caitlin M. Cerza
Transportation Planning Engineer
Wilmington Urban Area MPO
Attachments: US 117/NC 132 (N College Road) at NC 133 (Castle Hayne Road) proposed roundabout conceptual
site plan
Ec: Ben Hughes, PE, District Engineer, NCDOT
Jon Roan, Deputy District Engineer, NCDOT
Michael Bass, Assistant District Engineer, NCDOT
Frank Mike, Assistant District Engineer, NCDOT
Madi Lee, PE, Development Review Engineer, NCDOT
Stonewall Mathis, PE, Division Traffic Engineer, NCDOT
Bryce Cox, Senior Assistant Traffic Engineer, NCDOT
Nick Drees, Engineering Specialist, NCDOT
Abby Lorenzo, MPA, Deputy Director, WMPO
Robert Farrell, Development Review Supervisor, New Hanover County
Zach Dickerson, Senior Development Review Planner, New Hanover County