Does anybody feel that Wilmington, NC metro will soon merge with Myrtle Beach?

[krazeeboi]

^I didn't say it would be pretty, but I feel that it's more or less inevitable.

[TLT]

After reading a few updates on road construction projects maybe the two cities could become connected by urban growth in the future.The next phase of Wilmington's outer loop (I-140) begins next year, the state may decide two bring I-74 to Wilmington to meet with I-140 then connect I-74 to Myrtle Beach with a spur of 74. This is starting to look more feasible considering all the environmental impacts of taking I-74 through the Green Swamp as originally proposed. This information I got from this website. If interstate makes it to Wilmington then connects to I-40/140 then a spur goes to Myrtle Beach imagine the growth that would pop up between the two cities. The state DOT does list on the books upgrading highway 74/76 to interstate quality from Whiteville to Wilmington as a future project.

[davidals]

^

This would be the most affordable option, which will probably ultimately determine the outcome. Those other routes through the middle of nowhere make no sense, would cost far more, would be very environmentally destructive, and wouldn't be of much practical use to anyone living in the area.

[citykidd]

I was just looking at the Carolina map on mapquest & notice that the two cities could one day be as one. With all the major development thats going on in those two region I feel it will soon be a reality. Think about it this way Mrytle Beach being the entertainment side, & Wilmington have the high-end jobs.

I hope not. Myrtle Beach is a mess during peak tourist season and Wilmington has grown enough. Who needs a Grand Strand in North Carolina!!

[Spartan]

North Carolina has done a good job of protecting its coastal zones in the Outer Banks, but its not possible to stop it entirely in other, more accessible locations. It's good that this state is proactive about it to some extent.

South Carolina has had to learn the hard way... this is at least in part due to the settling process in South Carolina from a historical perspective, and also due to the more simple fact that there are less islands "in the way," thus making it more accessible to development. South Carolina has restricted development in some coastal locations- mostly the sea islands around Charleston and Beaufort, but its too late to do anything about Myrtle Beach.

[wilmwbnative]

The question is, do we want this to happen? I've always viewed the NC coast as a nice getaway, with nicer beaches and less development than our neighbors to the south. IMO Myrtle Beach can have all of the strip malls and such that line 17 for miles on end... I'd rather have some nice dense development in Wilmington that respects the history of the city and in the beach towns and such... unfortunately, the leaders in Brunswick are addicted to sprawl at the moment. Eventually, it's going to catch up with them to the detriment of water quality, open space, affordability, traffic congestion, and liveability.

Growth in the SE coast is inevitable, but it can be managed significanty better than it is currently being done.

I would love the CSA to happen, and the megalopolis. Sprawl doesn't have to be ugly though. I agree with you on dense development in Wilmington. I think while we grow too we need to still conserve the beauty of the area. The CSA would benefit Wilmington and MB so much. We could start rail transportation, etc. as someone mentioned. They need to start annexing Wilmington into Brunswick County. This is what I have wanted for so long. And it's going to happen. Wilmington is very fast growing, and Brunswick County is too, which grew about 50 percent from 2000-2010.

Someone asked the center of population? I think it would mainly be Wilmington.

To the person who posted about names? Do you mean for the CSA, as in the official hypenated name? If so...

1) Wilmington-Myrtle Beach-Georgetown CSA

2) Wilmington-Myrtle Beach-Brunswick CSA

3) Wilmington-Myrtle Beach-Oak Island CSA

I say Georgetown because its a fairly sized town that would be in the CSA, at the southern end if you combine Wilmington and Myrtle Beach MSAs to make it.

Brunswick, as in Brunswick County, because it connects New Hanover County (Wilmington) to Horry County (Myrtle Beach), and really has no main center of population since it's suburban Wilmington.

Oak Island because if I had to pick a center of population for Brunswick County, it would be it. It's year round population is about 7,000 and it's summer population is 30-50000. Plus it's right around the halfway point between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach.