Sidewalks in or leading to Downtown

The details are here:

4 Likes

I don’t think the City knows what’s going to happen with The Healing Place, the Farmer’s Market, or the Baker properties. I think they’re stalling on Lake Wheeler for a number of reasons.

@Francisco thanks very much for posting. This was informative both on the “Phase Now” presentation (39’ mark) and the Dix Park Edge Study presentation (53’ mark).

1 Like

I live Off Lake Wheeler Road and Sierra Drive, I had took a Evening walk just before it got dark pass the State farmers market and back, I see NO reason for the City to include widening Lake Wheeler Road in their Dix Park master plan. Widen the road enough to at least have Cyclist ride their bikes safely and a sidewalk path from S.Saunders to Centennial Parkway. It would Only make sense once the park is Built, You’re going to have folks walk to the park from where they live at some point if not NOW already.

1 Like

I don’t think the Dix master plan includes anything about widening Lake Wheeler Rd. From page 126 of the master plan:

BlockquoteProposed changes to Lake Wheeler Road are intended to ensure it does not become over-burdened by vehicular traffic between I-40 and downtown. The Master Plan proposes a reconfigured intersection at Lake Wheeler Road and Centennial Parkway near the exit from Interstate 40, encouraging north-south traffic to move to the higher-capacity Centennial Boulevard. This will allow Lake Wheeler Road to remain a smaller-scale local corridor that can accommodate the proposed multi-use path, more frequent intersections safe for pedestrian and bike crossings, and expanded bus stops.

1 Like

I used to work at a engineering design firm that was tasked with what should have been a no-brainer and straightforward sidewalk implementation. I wasn’t involved directly in it as I’m a structural guy, but I was present for all the updates during our weekly meetings. You have no idea how much of a time and $ drain the project was, mainly thanks to nimbys in the neighborhood and council members on a fake crusade, but also incompetence with city design review. The sidewalk got nixed, then they changed their minds and more $ and time wasted, then ultimately got nixed again. It got to the point where we gave up trying to go after city work. The whole process was the biggest shitshow that I ever saw firsthand, and made me lose complete confidence in local government.

5 Likes

I spoke to someone from Dix Park Conservancy yesterday about this. He said the DOT is in the middle of a study of Lake Wheeler. They don’t know which side will get sidewalks and they are looking at the width of the road.

5 Likes

Like they did with those trash cans on the corner of Wilmington and Hargett. Millions of $'s wasted.

I took this pic while on my way home this morning, Lake Wheeler Road to Sierra Drive. imagine walking home at night

Yep scary. My wife saw one of our neighbors biking home along that stretch of LW where there is about a 6" shoulder. The multi- use path can’t come fast enough.

A 3-5 mile commute by bike is doable by almost any level of cyclist, but our lack of protected facilities make it no surprise that so few people do it.

1 Like

That stretch of Lake Wheeler is awful and scary. I will take that right down the green way by the gas station, get off on S. Saunders and ride the sidewalk until it ends at Prospect. From there I go down Prospect and work my way downtown.

Why have a sidewalk that just ends for no reason? Sidewalks on LW road and S Saunders just end instead of doing the smart thing and continue to the downtown area.

2 Likes

Raleigh does not build sidewalks unless the road is built out to include curb and gutters. There will never be a sidewalk on this stretch until the road is improved first.

1 Like

I took this Pic as a Bike rider was on my Right I drove real slow so I took this to show that there is a need for some kind of path or sidewalk from S.Saunders/Lake Wheeler to Farmers Market. The biker thank me for driving slow.

Then I hope that they do Just that and add a sidewalk path, Lake Wheeler Road is just frightening to walk or even drive to DTR

1 Like

Funny that you should mention how the sidewalk ends, was thinking the same thing.

There’s currently a pedestrian study going on centered around the state government buildings downtown. There’s currently an open survey and interactive map where you can pin problem locations related to pedestrian safety downtown

Survey: Microsoft Forms
Map: ArcGIS Web Application

6 Likes

Just a casual death ride to boulted bread today

2 Likes

How long did it take you?

That’s one way to get your adrenaline fix!

1 Like

I can get there in 12 mins from my house, but wife struggles on the hill :upside_down_face:

2 Likes