2028, right of way acquisition will begin between Genoa Road and I-795. The Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) plans for four projects to occur along US 117 in New Hanover County. Project U-5792 and U-5881 would convert College Road (US 117/NC 132) to a freeway between I-40 and Oriole Drive. The project would include the construction of three new interchanges, at Kings Drive, US 74 (Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway), and Ringo Drive. Additionally, the interchange at US 17 Business (Market Street) would be redesigned. Construction of the US 74 interchange (Project U-5792) is expected to begin in 2026. The remainder of the project (Project U-5881) is expected to begin right of way acquisition in 2029. Project U-5704 would redesign the College Road (US 117/NC 132) and Oleander Drive (US 76) intersection and install access management between Shipyard Boulevard (US 117) and Wilshire Boulevard. The project is expected to begin right-of-way acquisition in 2029. A similar access management project (Project U-5702A) would install access management along College Road between Shipyard Boulevard and New Centre Drive. Major intersections Special routes Burgaw business loop U.S. Route 117 Business (US 117 Business) is a business route of US 117 which runs through the town of Burgaw. The highway runs for from US 117 southeast of downtown to US 117 north of downtown. US 117 Business shares a concurrency with NC 53 between Wilmington Street and the Jacksonville Highway. The special route was originally established in 1952 as US 117A when US 117 was rerouted east of downtown Burgaw. In 1960, NCDOT renumbered US 117A in Burgaw and Goldsboro to US 117 Business, establishing the current routing. US 117 Business begins at an intersection with US 117 in southeastern Burgaw. From its southern terminus, the highway runs northwestward along Walker Street. Between Hayes Street and Satchwell Street, US 117 Business makes a slight curve, giving the highway a northern orientation. Entering into downtown Burgaw from the south, US 117 Business runs along the eastern side of the Pender County Courthouse. US 117 Business meets NC 53 at an intersection with Wilmington Street in downtown. Both highways run in concurrency to the northeast, exiting downtown Burgaw. At Bridgers Street, US 117 Business/NC 53 turns to the east to follow the street. East of Cowan Street, the business route makes a turn to the northeast. NC 53 diverges from US 117 Business at the