The City of Raleigh has a number of projects currently open for improving the city, everything from street construction to greenway improvements. Each project is thoroughly planned and researched with the goal to benefit the greater Raleigh community.

   The greenway system in Raleigh offers residents miles of paths and green space to enjoy. Initially built as a method for managing floodways, the greenway system is now part of an active, ongoing project to maintain and expand green spaces within the capital area. Currently, a design review team commissioned by the city is working towards updating the existing greenway master plan which was most recently updated decades ago in 1986. Earlier this year in August, a meeting was held for the last opportunity to provide input before the final draft. Now, the final draft of the updated master plan is expected to be published in December of 2021.

   In addition to the greenway, Raleigh citizens can enjoy one of the many parks throughout the city. Exciting new plans are now being laid for parks across the city, some right in the heart of downtown Raleigh.  

   Only a few minutes away from Broughton, a 14-acre site has been proposed as the site of a future park. Currently used as a lot for city maintenance vehicles, the site is mostly in the floodplain and contains contaminants that would require remediation before it became a park.

   The site has a rich and cultured history involving Native Americans, Civil War soldiers, enslaved communities, and even a baseball stadium where Jackie Robinson once played. 

   “The vision is for a passive park composed of walking trails, open meadows, native plantings, and stormwater wetlands along with opportunities for public art and environmental and historical interpretation of the site,” described project manager Gary Claiborne.

   “The current project schedule has initial design continuing into 2022, full park design and site remediation from 2023 to 2024, and site construction starting around 2025-2026,” Claiborne also offered.

   While the construction of the park may be far off, the design process is heavily influenced by community input. There are virtual meetings and surveys that can be submitted to voice an opinion or offer a suggestion.

   Perhaps one of the more inconvenient, but necessary city improvements is roadway expansion and maintenance. Streets throughout the city are constantly being repaved, maintained, or redesigned entirely. Often, work on other public utilities like water and sanitary sewage interlap with road construction. Being located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, Broughton is surrounded by street construction projects. Paving recently finished directly in front of Broughton on E. Peace street; however, plans to update the W. Peace streetscape were cut short due to a lack of funding. This project would have included the section of Peace street in front of Peace Street Market, Sherwin Williams, and McDonald’s. 

   On the other side of the Broughton, Oberlin road is undergoing major construction. Closures will affect Oberlin near White Memorial Church due to water line upgrades. Completion of this project is estimated to be spring of 2022. Additionally, major renovations are in the works for the stretch of Oberlin in front of The Village District and the nearby apartments.

   Currently, the project is still in the right-of-way acquisition phase. The project is estimated to be completed by the spring of 2022. 

   Another new project aims to facilitate more efficient travel from Cary to downtown Raleigh. To do so, city officials are in the process of designing what has been dubbed the Western Bus Rapid Transport (BRT). The route will link Cary with Raleigh via the Western Blvd corridor, passing downtown, Dorthea Dix and Pullen parks, NC State campus, and local neighborhoods. 

   “The corridor has a lower median household income than the city overall, highlighting the need for affordable transportation options,” stated project lead Dhanya Sandeep, in a presentation. 

   As of October 2021, the project is still in its infancy. A comprehensive study was done to aid in the design process which is expected to be begun by the fall of 2022. City employees working closely with the project regularly provide updates available on the city website, and plenty of opportunities are available for citizen input.

   For information on these or dozens of additional projects, be sure to visit the City of Raleigh website at https://raleighnc.gov/projects.