The Hampstead Bypass won't be finished until 2030. The first section to open ends at Sloop Point Loop Road, though, and that's the road that leads from US 17 into East Wynd. In its May 2026 traffic-shift release, NCDOT said the first segment of the bypass, "from N.C. 210 to Sloop Point Loop Road, is expected to open in late 2027." So East Wynd residents get relief at their end of Hampstead about three years ahead of the rest of the corridor.
That timing explains the construction you see on US 17 this fall. The work closest to East Wynd belongs to the section scheduled to finish first.
Two Segments, and the Northern One Comes First
NCDOT is building the bypass as two projects with separate contracts and separate timelines.
| Segment | Runs from | Contractor | Status | Expected finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-3300B | NC 210 to north of Hampstead, ending at Sloop Point Loop Road | Conti Civil LLC | Bridges, borrow, grading and paving under way | "Late 2027" in NCDOT's May release; "Winter 2027" on the project timeline |
| R-3300A | NC 140 to NC 210 | S.T. Wooten Corporation | Work began September 2025 | Full project completion listed as 2030 |
NCDOT phrases the northern finish date two ways. The May 28, 2026 release says "late 2027" for the NC 210-to-Sloop Point Loop segment. The project page, last updated July 31, 2026, lists "Winter 2027" for completing construction from NC 210 to north of Hampstead. Both point to the end of next year, and NCDOT marks all future dates as subject to change.
The northern half is also the more expensive one. NCDOT's cost table puts Segment B at $185 million for construction, $84.5 million for property acquisition and $9.5 million for utility relocation, about $279 million in all. Segment A comes to about $211 million: $182 million for construction, $25.5 million for property and $3.5 million for utilities. Together they make up the $490 million estimate. Most of the money is going into the half that ends nearest East Wynd.
What Gets Built Between NC 210 and Sloop Point Loop
NCDOT's route description shows how this segment fits together. Starting at a new interchange at NC 210, the bypass runs northeast, crosses Hoover Road north of South Topsail Elementary School, continues behind the Topsail Schools complex, and turns east to rejoin existing US 17 near Leeward Lane. From there it follows existing US 17 north to Sloop Point Loop Road.
East Wynd connects to US 17 through Sloop Point Loop Road. Coming from the south, drivers take US 17 northeast past Topsail Greens Drive and turn right onto Sloop Point Loop. In practice, a trip toward NC 210 starts on the same stretch of US 17 the bypass will use and leaves the old road at Leeward Lane. The busy business corridor through the middle of Hampstead is the part this segment skips.
NCDOT has said plainly what it expects from that. An NCDOT Division 3 engineer described the goal to Construction Equipment Guide in August 2026:
"With steady growth in this area, the U.S. 17 Hampstead Bypass project will provide an alternate route for motorists to access Military Cutoff Road, N.C. 140 and N.C. 210, which will result in less traffic traveling through the U.S. 17 business corridor in Hampstead. This should result in improved traffic flow and reduced conflicts."
That's a forecast, since no part of the bypass is open yet for anyone to measure. In December 2025, the StarNews quoted the same division's engineer predicting immediate relief and shorter travel times once the bypass opens, while also noting it wouldn't solve every congestion problem.
Southbound Drivers Already Use Part of It
One piece of the northern segment already carries traffic. Starting the evening of May 29, 2026, after weather pushed it back a day from May 28, NCDOT moved both southbound lanes of US 17 near Leeward Lane onto newly built roadway for good. The new lanes rejoin US 17 near Vista Lane, and traffic continues through Hampstead from there.
Heading south from Sloop Point Loop since late May, the drive goes like this:
- Turn from Sloop Point Loop Road onto US 17 South, the stretch the finished bypass will follow.
- Near Leeward Lane, move onto the newly built southbound lanes. Leeward Lane is the spot where the bypass will eventually split off toward NC 210.
- Rejoin US 17 near Vista Lane and continue south through Hampstead.
Northbound traffic stayed in its old pattern. NCDOT told southbound drivers headed to Transfer Station Road to use other routes. The new pavement near Leeward Lane is the first stretch of the 2027 segment drivers can actually use.
Progress on the Ground as of August
Construction Equipment Guide's August 13, 2026 report gave the latest detailed look at both segments. On R-3300B, the northern segment, Conti Civil was placing borrow, building bridges, and grading and paving around the US 17 interchange, with completion expected in late 2027.
R-3300A, the southern segment, is at an earlier stage. Work there began in September 2025. By August, crews had finished several reinforced concrete box culverts and some of the drainage ditches and pipes, clearing and grubbing was 50 percent done, and about 500,000 cubic yards of borrow had been placed. Bridge work around the NC 140 interchange had started. The same report listed the equipment working the corridor, from lattice cranes and excavators to off-road dump trucks and concrete pump trucks.
The two segments are moving at different speeds, and that matches the schedule. The northern segment has had more time to progress and is set to finish first. The southern segment, from NC 210 down to NC 140, determines the 2030 finish date.
NCDOT's list of bypass news releases shows the June 15, 2026 overnight ramp closure and the May traffic shift as its most recent items, so no new bypass traffic changes have been announced since early summer.
What Opens in 2030
Once the southern segment is done, the bypass will run all the way from NC 140 to north of Hampstead. WECT reported in February 2026 that drivers on the completed bypass will be able to exit at Hoover Road or NC 140, or keep going toward Wilmington and the Military Cutoff Extension.
That's when trips toward Wilmington get the full benefit. Until then, the late-2027 segment covers the stretch between NC 210 and Sloop Point Loop Road. Drivers from East Wynd will see that improvement on their own road about three years before the bypass is complete.
The Other Cone Zone This Fall Is on NC 210
The lane closures some drivers have hit on NC 210 near US 17 since July aren't bypass work. Starting July 20, crews have been widening a section of NC 210 near US 17, adding turn lanes and laying a new drainage pipe system across the road as part of a new Pender County K–8 school. Closures run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. NCDOT expects the work to finish by early November, weather permitting.
As of this week, that schedule has the NC 210 work close to finished. The bypass interchange at NC 210 is still to come. When it's done, the new turn lanes and the bypass will meet near the same corner of Hampstead.
For out-of-town owners in East Wynd, a road project like this affects real decisions: when to schedule contractor visits, when to plan a sale or a rental season, and how the 2027 opening could change the drive to the gate. Matthew Berglund follows this corridor closely, and if you'd like to plan your project or listing timeline around the bypass schedule, schedule a local market and project consultation.
