Home Care In Havelock, NC

Motorists planning to travel along N.C. 101 near the primary entrance for Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point should expect delays and detours the remainder of the month.

In total, lane closures are expected to last about two weeks on the 20-plus mile roadway that connects Beaufort and Havelock, bypassing Morehead City, North Carolina Department of Transportation officials said Monday.

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Plans are to close both lanes of N.C. 101 between Roosevelt and Cunningham boulevards for milling and resurfacing work starting Tuesday. The road is expected to reopen 5 p.m. Thursday.

Beginning Friday, travelers can expect intermittent lane closures on N.C. 101 between Cunningham and McCotter boulevards while additional milling and resurfacing work is underway. One lane will remain open to through traffic.

There will be signed detour route along McCotter Boulevard.

Use caution when traveling near the area and seek alternate routes to avoid delays, officials said.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.

A team has scheduled two discussions for later this month to hear from Ocracoke residents their thoughts on the challenges associated with changes to the physical environment the island is likely to experience.

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Duke University and East Carolina University researchers have already completed a multiyear research project that simulates how the physical landscape such as beaches, shoreline, dunes and marshes of Ocracoke Island may change in the future because of road management decisions.

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The team now is looking to hear from residents their perspective on meeting these challenges, particularly to transportation and accessing the island.

Sessions are scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Ocracoke Community Center. Reserve a spot to join the discussion. Participants must be an adult residing in Ocracoke.

“We’re conducting community deliberative dialogues to better understand your unique perspective about the challenges Ocracoke faces due to increasing environmental hazards,” researchers said. The two “events are a part of a research study to gain a better understanding of how communities demonstrate scientific literacy, within the context of coastal resilience issues and solutions.”

A deliberative dialogue is a structured discussion, moderated to help foster open conversations and provide an opportunity to share and hear different perspectives.

K.C. Busch, who can be reached at [email protected], is leading the study titled, “Redefining Scientific Literacy At The Community Level.”

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The drive between the Triangle and Morehead City will get a little easier on Friday with the opening of the U.S. 70 bypass around Havelock.

The 10.3-mile highway is expected to be open by Friday evening, after the N.C. Department of Transportation and state and local officials hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the morning. The highway will allow drivers to avoid a congested section of U.S. 70 outside Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

Construction of the $259 million highway began in the fall of 2019, as part of a larger effort to turn U.S. 70 into an interstate highway between Wake County and the coast.

While the bypass will open to traffic Friday, contractors still have some work to do through the spring and summer. NCDOT says some lane closures are possible, particularly where the bypass ties into existing U.S. 70 at either end.

The bypass is a piece of what eventually will be Interstate 42. For now, the Havelock Bypass will remain U.S. 70, with signs indicating that it is “Future I-42.”

The Federal Highway Administration and The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials gave North Carolina permission to gradually turn U.S. 70 into I-42 as the highway is upgraded to interstate standards.

The 10-mile Clayton Bypass in Johnston County and the 22-mile bypass around Goldsboro in Wayne and Lenoir counties are already I-42. Contractors recently finished upgrading 4.7 miles near Wilson’s Mills and are working on another 6.4-mile section between New Bern and Havelock.

The four-lane divided highway around Havelock passes through part of Croatan National Forest. Two environmental groups, the Sierra Club and the Southern Environmental Law Center, objected to that routing but agreed to drop a federal lawsuit in 2018 in exchange for several concessions by NCDOT.

They included giving $5.3 million to the N.C. Coastal Land Trust to protect land in and around the national forest and establishing a $2 million revolving loan fund that could be used to protect property elsewhere in Carteret, Craven and Jones counties.

Havelock bypass opening to improve safety, efficiency for commuters by Friday evening

An event many have been waiting for. The Havelock bypass will officially open to the public this afternoon. To celebrate, the city and the North Carolina Department of Transportation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 this morning.

Just in time for your holiday travels in Eastern Carolina, the Havelock bypass is now open both east and westbound. Westbound opened first, then eastbound later in the day. We spoke with NCDOT officials to learn about the details of the project and talked with business owners in Havelock to get their perspective

A ribbon cutting that celebrates more than just another highway project. It celebrates decades of work from both DOT workers and the town of Havelock. A lot of work went into this one its a very old project it’s been around for a long time.

Construction started back in 2019, but the project first entered the planning phase in 2011. Officials told me the total cost of the project was 323 million dollars

The ten-mile stretch of highway starts near the Hickory Hill Airport, then ends outside of Havelock before Newport. Its speed limit, 70 miles per hour. Cadmus has been with the project for years and we asked him what some of the biggest challenges they overcame.

We built bridges over two sets of railroads. We’re under construction of a project that will connect the James City Project to this so we had to work on some plan revisions.

Cadmus highlighted that the main purpose of the project is to improve safety from is to reduce crashes by avoiding Havelock’s fifteen traffic signals.

But with drivers now being able to drive around the city of Havelock, what will the effect be on local businesses? We asked a few business owners in Havelock to get their perspective

Potentially you would think Im gonna lose business because I'm not getting vacationers.

How much of my business is that I dont think very much so I dont think Im gonna be losing that much money

This is a local business and its supported by amazing local clients.

If you are on the bypass there is one interchange to get into Havelock off of Lake Road.

While the bypass is open NCDOT officials say to still expect lane closures while they put the finishing touches on the project.

DOT officials say the goal of this highway is to let people avoid the light sequences in Havelock for safety, but also provide quicker access to Morehead City.

The total estimated cost of the project, according to officials, was $323 million when you include construction, right of way, utilities, and other costs.

Published on December 11, 2025

On December 19, the much-anticipated Havelock Bypass will be officially opened, providing a ten-mile stretch of highway designed to improve travel safety and reduce congestion along US 70. This development marks a significant milestone in the ongoing project to build the future Interstate 42, which promises smoother, more efficient travel for both locals and visitors to North Carolina’s coastal communities.

The bypass has been planned for more than a decade, with discussions starting in 2011 with the first public hearing. After years of planning and construction, the final phase of this transformative project is set to alter the driving experience for thousands of commuters and those travelling to and from the scenic coastal regions.

The construction of the Havelock Bypass officially began in 2019, but its journey can be traced back further, as the region’s increasing traffic volume and safety concerns became more pronounced. For years, residents and local businesses in Havelock faced daily bottlenecks and delays as vehicles navigated through more than a dozen signalized intersections. These intersections, while essential for local traffic, also posed a significant risk for accidents, contributing to the growing need for a safer, more efficient route.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the Havelock Bypass is part of a broader initiative to create a more reliable and streamlined route for drivers heading to coastal destinations like Morehead City and Emerald Isle. The bypass will help reduce travel times and alleviate traffic through the busy heart of Havelock, where congestion is often exacerbated by the large number of intersections.

The Havelock Bypass project came with a significant price tag—$259 million. Despite the heavy financial investment, the project faced numerous hurdles along the way. The most notable challenges stemmed from the need to navigate complex negotiations and logistics surrounding the crossing of three major railroads. Securing permits and ensuring safe access for construction crews required extensive coordination with railroad companies, adding a layer of complexity to the project.

Another significant hurdle was the bypass’s route through the Croatan National Forest. The project team had to work closely with federal and local agencies to ensure the protection of the forest’s delicate ecosystems while maintaining the integrity of the highway’s design. Environmental concerns were carefully addressed, and modifications were made to accommodate both the ecological and infrastructural needs of the project.

Upon its opening, the Havelock Bypass will be a major relief for drivers in the area. The new highway promises to reduce the risk of accidents by eliminating the need for traffic signals and intersections along U.S. 70. As Brad McMannen, the Resident Engineer for the project, pointed out, fewer points of contact between vehicles significantly lower the chances of collisions. The new bypass will also provide more direct access to U.S. 70, improving overall traffic flow and making travel much smoother for everyone who regularly commutes through this section of the state.

The ten-mile stretch of road is expected to cut down on travel times considerably. For those heading to the coast or passing through Havelock on the way to destinations like New Bern and Cherry Point, the new route will offer a much more efficient and safe alternative to the previous, traffic-laden path.

While the Havelock Bypass promises improvements for motorists, local business owners are watching closely to see how these changes will affect foot traffic. Will Barber, the owner of Playback Video Games in Havelock, expressed his concerns about how the bypass might influence the flow of customers. With less traffic passing through the heart of the town, businesses located along U.S. 70 could experience shifts in consumer patterns. Barber mentioned that he is closely monitoring how the opening of the bypass will impact his sales and customer numbers.

Other local business owners share similar sentiments, with many considering how to adapt to the changes. Some are optimistic that the bypass could create new opportunities by drawing visitors who are now able to travel to the coast more easily, while others are uncertain about how the reduced traffic volume could affect their operations. In the coming months, business owners will be watching the effects closely, adjusting their strategies as necessary to meet the changing dynamics.

While the bypass is set to open on December 19, drivers should expect periodic lane closures and continued construction work even after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. McMannen explained that while the main route will be accessible to the public, crews will still need time to finish some of the final details of the project. This includes completing work on surrounding infrastructure and ensuring that everything is fully operational before the bypass is fully integrated into the regional transportation system.

For those travelling through Havelock in the coming months, it’s essential to stay informed about any temporary disruptions, but the long-term benefits of the bypass will far outweigh the temporary inconveniences.

The Havelock Bypass is just one step towards modernising North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure. As part of Interstate 42’s ongoing development, this new route will eventually help to better connect the state’s coastal communities to the rest of the region, improving economic opportunities, travel safety, and access to one of the state’s most beautiful areas.

With the bypass’s completion, North Carolina moves one step closer to a more interconnected and safer transportation system, benefiting both residents and visitors from smoother, more efficient travel to and from the coast.

The long-awaited Havelock Bypass off U.S. 70 will officially open to drivers on December 19, marking a major milestone in the development of the future Interstate 42 and promising safer, smoother travel to coastal communities.

Construction on the bypass began in 2019, but the project has been in discussion since 2011, when the first public hearing was held.

A First Look at the New 10-Mile Route

News 12 got an exclusive ride through the bypass alongside Resident Engineer Brad McMannen, who shared how the project came together and the challenges crews faced along the way.

The new ten-mile stretch of highway will allow drivers to avoid more than a dozen traffic lights through Havelock — a change McMannen says will make a big difference.

“When you get a lot of signalized intersections, you have a lot of chances and points of contact for accidents,” McMannen explained. “With the bypass, with no signal interchanges, that will greatly reduce accidents through this area.”

A $259 Million Investment — and Not Without Obstacles

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the bypass comes with a price tag of $259 million.

McMannen says the process came with significant hurdles, contributing to project delays.

“We had three railroads we had to cross, so working with the railroad company to get those permits and access was a challenge,” he said. “We went through the Croatan National Forest, so that was a hurdle as well working with them.”

Local Businesses Watching Closely

As traffic patterns shift, business owners in Havelock are preparing for the unknown.

Will Barber, owner of Playback Video Games, says he’s keeping an eye on how the bypass may affect customer flow.

“Right now it’s just sitting and waiting, seeing what happens,” Barber said.

“Looking at numbers, seeing what happens, and if any changes need to be made of where we’re located.”

What’s Next?

Even after the bypass opens on December 19, McMannen says drivers should still expect periodic lane closures and ongoing construction as crews finish remaining work.

For a full ride-along tour of the new road with Resident Engineer Brad McMannen, you can watch the video now on the News 12 YouTube channel.