Partners in Progress

Those who know me well, know I am not typically one for resolutions or predictions. Yet, as we turn the calendar to 2025, there are a few things that feel certain.?

Our state will continue to grow. Rapidly.?

Infrastructure improvements will be proposed. Enthusiastically.?

Major projects will progress… slowly (if at all).

Don’t get me wrong, I am excited for the year to come. We have our strongest team ever at E&V. We are working with a variety of interesting clients who also happen to be really good people. My kids are happy and healthy, and my wife’s business, Weezie’s Colorful Kitchen, continues to flourish.??

Still, across North Carolina and the U.S., the need for infrastructure updates and expansions is undeniable. In my hometown of Wilmington, the Cape Fear River bridge–a vital artery connecting rapidly growing Brunswick County with downtown and the state’s port–is aging and according to the DOT, must be replaced. Yet, the project has been mired in debate on everything from how to pay for it (should we be open to tolls?), where to put it, or even how tall to build it. Clearly, translating consensus into action has become a daunting task. Bureaucratic hurdles, community protests, litigation, and rising costs often stall projects before they break ground, leaving residents and businesses grappling with strained resources and growing frustration. The real challenge lies in overcoming these roadblocks and turning well-made plans into progress.

North Carolina’s affordable housing crisis is another example. The supply and demand imbalance is evident, but increasing housing stock is easier said than done. Communities often resist new developments that might change traffic patterns, impact school systems, or disrupt neighborhood character. This kind of local opposition has become one of the most persistent barriers to progress. And they’re not wrong–the voices of property owners and concerned citizens are deeply rooted in their lived experiences and bring legitimate concerns to the table (e.g. property rights, environmental preservation, and impacts on community aesthetics and infrastructure).?

Adding to the complexity are the regulatory hoops governing environmental and resource sourcing standards. Infrastructure construction relies on raw materials like sand, gravel, and rock for concrete and asphalt. Yet, even obtaining permits for these resources faces challenges when localities express concern over the impact of extraction on their landscapes and ecosystems. Without local access to these raw materials, project budgets soar, timelines grow, and completion dates become that much more elusive.?

Our team at E&V frequently helps businesses educate neighbors and community leaders about their projects–everything from new housing developments to major energy infrastructure. As a result, we’re getting asked this question more and more:

How can I get my project approved and built in a timely fashion? And more widely, what can we do–if anything–to address these challenges and help put North Carolina’s infrastructure on a sustainable path?

This is an immensely complex issue that will require legal, political, corporate and cultural changes to systematically solve. Even so, there are some things that can be done right away. Companies must make sincere efforts to engage with communities and project neighbors. They must go beyond what is legally required and build local connections, listen to community concerns, and adapt where it's reasonable to do so.?

Today’s reality is that even when a project meets regulatory requirements and secures legal clearance, it will not proceed without community trust and buy-in. Engaging local concerns directly—whether through town halls, direct outreach, or social media—allows businesses to demonstrate they are partners in progress, not outsiders imposing change. This proactive approach to public engagement builds trust, fosters mutual understanding, and significantly increases the likelihood of project success.?

Infrastructure is more than steel, concrete, and budget lines; it’s the foundation on which our communities live, work, and grow. There’s an urgency to these projects—they’re imperative to addressing pressing challenges our community faces and improving our quality of life. Effective public engagement alone will not fix our broken infrastructure development process, but it? is essential to aligning stakeholders and unlocking the potential of these efforts to benefit all of us.