Wow, I had no idea. The new art quietly showing up all over downtown is really cool.
16 Likes
How could anyone forget this project lol… I’ve been waiting for this project for a while now: Sunflower Power Poles | Dix Park Conservancy
2 Likes
VW art! I love it!
2 Likes
Yeah, I love this. Like, if we GOTTA have gigantic overhead powerlines that CANNOT be buried - why NOT make them look cool as hell??
4 Likes
They can be burried, but we’re talking Bill Gates type donations to make that happen.
1 Like
Reminds me of this well-known power transmission pylon heading south on I-4 from Orlando to Disney World.
8 Likes
Quote from Sayre from the article above 
“When Duke was approached about making sunflower power poles, they immediately said, “Oh, you mean, like the Mickey Mouse ears in Orlando, Florida?” There is a power pole there that has the circle and the two ears. The sunflowers are much more complicated and, I would say, more visually striking than that. I think there’s another power pole project near a big NFL site in the Midwest that is a goalpost. But in terms of engineering and visual complexity, the Mickey Mouse ears and the goalpost are just way simpler than two sunflowers with 46 petals each.”
10 Likes
Lake Wheeler work starts this summer: “The city awarded the $21.8 million construction contract to Rifenburg North Carolina. Rifenburg will do the work in four phases, starting with the new entrance to the park.”
Interesting that the article says the work south to Centennial is delayed by negotiations with the rr on improvements to the crossing. I thought ot was a funding issue (and it still maybe) and I did not know or forgot the railway was owned by RJ Corman Co.
The article does has a link to 3d images of the project
Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article309539530.html#storylink=cpy
9 Likes
I appreciate the effort on their 3D video, but without buildings and how much it jumps around it’s near impossible to know what area you’re looking at.
1 Like
My phone said I had to download a program, so I actually skipped it! That is disappointing to hear, thanks for the info.
1 Like
BTW, hadn’t noticed / seen anyone else comment but utility relocation (relocating poles back closer to Fuller Heights from the road project) has begun on the Baker Roofing / FM area of Lake Wheeler.
Also there’s been some tree (buzz) cutting at the parking area across from Willow House coffee at the greenway transition to Saunders.
16 Likes
This tracks with the city’s project page, last updated Sep 9th:
Duke Energy has started clearing trees and relocating its utilities along Lake Wheeler Road. Other private utility companies will begin their work as soon as Duke completes relocation. This project is expected to start soon.
5 Likes
Another Update
October 31, 2025
The City of Raleigh held a pre-construction meeting for the Lake Wheeler Road Improvement Project on Oct. 30, 2025, and private utility relocations are ongoing. On Oct. 21, 2025, the Raleigh City Council approved the transfer of funds from the Six Forks Road Improvement Project to the Lake Wheeler Road Improvement Project. The funding allows the construction team to complete the project’s original scope.
16 Likes
Original scope as in crossing the tracks to Maywood?
2 Likes