RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in
NCDOT Now, the department's weekly newscast.
McDowell Express to Expand
The McDowell Express micro-transit program will expand this month to provide service to another town – Old Fort.
Service is expected to begin May 15.
The McDowell Express launched in Marion in the spring of 2025 and officials added one vehicle to the service’s fleet this past winter.
Booking is done on demand through the McDowell Express app and costs $2.50 per trip.
HBCU National Champions Dedication
A Durham interchange now celebrates the N.C. Central University men’s tennis team’s recent national championship.
NCDOT dedicated Exit 276 at Interstate 40 to honor the team.
Central won the HBCU national championship in September 2025, marking their first championship since 2014.
Bridge Dedication
A Wilmington bridge now honors a local community leader, Cornelius E. Nixon.
Nixon was a lifelong Wilmington resident who opened New Hanover County’s first oyster shucking facility.
The bridge on Military Cutoff Road over Market Street will serve as a tribute to Nixon’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to the city of Wilmington.
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on
NCDOT.gov.