^ if this is true then it’s incredibly dissapointing and additional evidence that Raleigh DOT lacks any sort of strategic direction. Both the blount/person st project and New Bern BRT have been in the works for 5+ years and there’s no reason that this potential conflict was not identified way earlier in the process. I’m suspeicious that the actual reason this isn’t happening is because of pushback from Oakwood residents and businesses along the Person St corridor about parking impacts.
At some point City leadership has to get serious about making meaningful changes to our streets and actually following through on those goals. Spinning our wheels on multiple planning and community feedback cycles only to have the goalposts moved because someone somewhere might get upset about change is one of the most frustrating things imaginable. And to be clear, by “city leadership” I mean the Manager’s office and RDOT leadership, not the lower level staff that are all-in on these improvements and for whom the whiplash must be equally (if not more) frustrating.
And by eliminating the “passing” lane the reduction from two one-way lanes to one lane plus BRT lane is an effective traffic-calming measure by essentially enforcing the speed limit as all cars now move at the rate of the slowest vehicle.
Disappointing, but I’ll be happy enough if they do address the Automotive Way wackiness as a frequent traveler through that area. Such a confusing interchange.
“Raleigh DOT” doesn’t exist….the State Dept. of Transportation controls most major roads in NC. Cities can make requests & they do manage some streets but don’t think Capital Blvd & adjacent interchanges are one of those.
I mean it does exist because the City owns and maintains most of the roads in the city (certainly not the major ones). It’s easy to handwave and pass the buck but the City has a lot of ability to improve their own streets.
Does anyone know if there’s any movement on the former Circus restaurant land that would front the traffic circle? I haven’t seen anything and am kinda surprised nothing has come out for that property yet
I thought that was always the plan. They are just going to do the Northern portion because the southern portion has a lot of BRT stuff that they don’t want to mess up with just yet.
I thought it was the plan too, but then it stopped. Was it just because of southern portion RR stuff? I honestly really only care about N Person St being 2 ways, so this is great news if it’s finally moving forward.
I had a little email conversation with a person working for the city who indicated to me that they weren’t considering two-way conversion any time soon. Hopefully things have changed since May.
