Lake Wheeler Road
$2.1 million being pumped into the Lake Wheeler Road corridor? Am I reading this right?
This news is back from October 19, but relevant to our area. Neighbors have been asking for pedestrian improvements to the Lake Wheeler Road corridor for years, but we keep hitting road blocks. Some believe that the lack of a master plan for the road is one problem. Long-term plans have included a 5-lane option, a 4-lane with a median option, and even a 3-lane option for road expansion.
The requests and dialog that I’ve seen go to City Council haven’t focused on expanding the road so that our neighbors to the South can get to downtown and I-40 faster–we’ve been asking for sidewalks and crosswalks. Have you tried to walk to Carolina Pines Park from our neighborhoods? Good luck crossing Lake Wheeler Road.
It’s a relief to see the proposal below that highlights pedestrian accommodations along Lake Wheeler Road and not the expansion of road area. A few turn-lanes may not hurt if they are carefully crafted and warrant improvements to the safety of our area. At this time, I do not know what the proposal includes or where the turn lanes might be.
It may be a good time to remind our city representatives that we are eager to have the pedestrian accommodations and that we are not interested in expanding Lake Wheeler Road.
COUNCIL APPROVES CAMPO APPLICATIONS
The Raleigh City Council authorized City staff to apply to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) for grant funding for the Locally Administered Projects Program (LAPP).
The LAPP program helps communities improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, transit amenities, and promote travel demand management activities. The program requires a 20 percent match from the City of Raleigh. Currently, there are no funds budgeted for this, however if the grant application is approved by CAMPO, the funding could be addressed in the development of the City’s next Capital Improvement Program.
City staff identified three projects to submit for consideration. These include:
- Lake Wheeler Road Improvements – This project would add turn lanes at two intersections and install pedestrian accommodations along Lake Wheeler Road from Centennial Parkway to Tryon Road. The cost estimates for the project are approximately $2.1 million;
- South/Lenoir Two-Way Conversion – This project would convert the Lenoir and South streets to two-operation from South Saunders Street to East Street. The effort would also include median construction along portions of West South Street and on-street bicycle improvements as recommended in the City’s Bicycle Plan. The cost estimates are $1.7 million; and,
- Creedmoor Road sidewalks – This project would construct new sidewalks on both sides of Creedmoor Road from Glenwood Avenue to Strickland Road. Cost estimates are more than $1.5 million.