While a parkway was on its way to easing Market Street traffic in the 1990s, plans for another loop north of Wilmington were also taking shape.

According to an article in the March 15, 1995, Wilmington Morning Star, the state finished a study on two routes for a highway connecting Interstate 40 and U.S. 421. The road would be a portion of the proposed U.S. 17 Wilmington bypass called the Northern Outer Loop.

Named the northern and southern alternative, costs for each were similar at around $101 million. The northern would be longer at 9.4 miles while the southern would displace more homes (58) and businesses (20) by cutting through the Wrightsboro area.

Once a route was selected and environmental studies complete, state officials expected to begin construction in 1998.

In 1997, a more central route between the original alternatives was selected. Work didn't begin until the early 2000s and at the same time an effort began to name it Interstate 140.

Segments opened in 2005, 2006 and 2017 with some work lingering into 2018. The outer loop now stretches from Porters Neck to just south of Leland. The loop begins on the east side as N.C. 140 then becomes I-140 after the interchange with Interstate 40.

In 2017, U.S. 17 was rerouted through Market Street.

Owen Hassell is the local news editor for the StarNews. You can reach him at ohassell@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Options for Wilmington, NC, bypass in 1995