Detour ahead: These are your options for getting to Wilmington when the bridge closes

The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge’s upcoming lane closures have caused a lot of commotion among residents and elected leaders in recent weeks.

The eastbound lanes heading into Wilmington will close on Jan. 3 for roughly three months, though the westbound lanes will remain open to traffic until April 8.

The cause for the lane closures comes from the much-needed moveable bridge deck repairs. While long-overdue, such preservation repairs on the more than 40-year-old bridge are likely to cause major traffic delays for those who rely on it to access Wilmington.

“This is going to be a tremendous nightmare" going up and down Front Street, MLK Parkway, College Road and Shipyard Boulevard, New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield said recently. "It’s going to be pretty much gridlocked for a lot of individuals."

The N.C. Department of Transportation detour will have motorists taking the Isabel Holmes Bridge to Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and then to College Road.

Here are some other alternate routes. They may take additional time and planning but they will allow drivers to avoid traffic tie-ups expected at the Isabel Holmes Bridge.

From Leland to Wilmington: Instead of taking the Isabel Holmes Bridge, consider taking I-140 to U.S. 117. This will eventually connect to College Road but will avoid much of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.

From Southport to Wilmington: Consider taking the Southport / Fort Fisher Ferry to U.S. 421, and then connecting to U.S. 117. Estimated time: About one hour.

From southern Brunswick County (including Shallotte and Oak Island): Taking the NCDOT detour might be the best option. Alternatively, drivers could use the Southport Ferry or travel north to I-40 toward the Castle Hayne and Northchase area. But these extensive routes would take around an hour and a half to two hours of travel time.

From Castle Hayne to downtown Wilmington: While those coming from Castle Hayne won’t have to worry about crossing any major bridges, if drivers are looking to avoid Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and College Road, taking I-40 to Gordon Road, and then to U.S. 17 could be a good option. Estimated time: About 30 minutes.

More on this: Starting in January, Cape Fear Memorial Bridge to see lane closures

What's next?

According to NCDOT, the bridge is scheduled to be open in both directions on April 1-7 for the Azalea Festival. On April 8, westbound lanes on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge will be closed to traffic and should reopen sometime before Memorial Day.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Cape Fear Memorial Bridge closure, alternate routes to get to Wilmington