Concerns over traffic studies dominated the New Hanover County Planning Board Meeting on January 9, 2025, as board members and residents scrutinized the implications of a proposed development project. The discussion highlighted significant skepticism regarding the accuracy and relevance of the traffic data used to assess the impact of adding 300 new housing units.

One board member raised immediate questions about the traffic study, noting a puzzling assertion that the new development would result in less traffic. "How are we getting 300 new units and we're gonna have less traffic because of that?" they asked, emphasizing the need for clarity on the data's validity. The member, who has a background in data analysis, pointed out that the traffic volume data was collected in September 2022, a time when significant changes had already occurred in the area, including the opening of the military cutoff extension and alterations to road configurations.

The board member expressed concerns about the outdated nature of the data, stating, "I think this is a newer traffic study," and highlighted a memorandum within the study that acknowledged the data's limitations. They criticized the reliance on a secondary traffic study from a different neighborhood, arguing that it could not accurately reflect the conditions affecting the proposed development site.

Residents echoed these concerns, with laughter in the audience when the effectiveness of the military cutoff extension was mentioned. The board member pointed out that the traffic study from Mark and Wendover, which was used to support claims of improved traffic flow, was based on data collected during atypical periods, including a holiday weekend and a midweek day in December. "Clearly, those are gonna have a drop in traffic, and you can't attribute all of that to military cutoff opening," they stated.

The meeting underscored the critical need for updated and relevant traffic studies to ensure that the planning decisions made by the board are based on accurate data. As discussions continue, the implications of these findings could significantly influence the future of the proposed development and its impact on local traffic conditions.