Rendering of the proposed cycle track

Transportation

Downtown North-South Greenway Connector

Improving mobility and connectivity for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic

Project Overview

The Downtown North-South Greenway Connector Project is a priority item in the 2016 BikeRaleigh plan and will serve as a key bicycle link between Glenwood South to the Warehouse District. 

Although the City of Raleigh has multiple streets downtown that are positioned as north/south streets, Harrington and West Streets will connect to two future proposed greenways. It will be considered an 'urban greenway'.  Both streets have independent utility connecting to downtown Raleigh destinations - notably two downtown grocery stores.

Providing separated bike lanes allows people to turn to biking as a safe, reliable, and healthy way to commute, and is a key solution for handling increased traffic and parking concerns. 

Project Benefits:

  • Pedestrians: Increase buffer from car traffic
  • Businesses: Convenient connection from downtown to warehouse district
  • Drivers: Less negotiation around bicyclists; fewer cars on the road
  • Cyclists: Safe road riding NOT in traffic
  • Community: promotes physical activity

Project Details

 
Type:
Bicycle and Pedestrian
Budget:
$200,000
Project Lead:
Transportation Planning

Contact

 

Molly Zahorian
Construction Project Manager 

Barbara Godwin
Transportation Analyst

 

 

Lead Department:
Transportation
Participating Department:
Engineering Services
Service Unit:
Mobility Strategy and Infrastructure

Subscribe

 

Planning

This phase is complete.

Lead Department:
Transportation

Design

After weighing competing interests along the corridor, on February 21, 2020 the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission recommended proceeding with a one-way pair of separated bicycle lanes on the inside block of West and Harrington Streets. They also included a long-term recommendation to consolidate the facilities onto a single street in the future. 

This recommendation was reached after:

  • An open house for a two-way cycle track concept on West Street on February of 2017.  Bus Rapid Transit needs on West Street along with some physical constraints made the original plan unfeasible. 
  • Testing the two-way cycle track concept on a 3-block section of Harrington Street April 5-7, 2019. 
  • An open house for the entire corridor followed June 18, 2019. Issues around the number of driveways and crossings led to a re-assessment of the 2-way cycle track as the best fit and the development of alternatives. 
  • Six different options were presented at an open house on Jan. 6, 2020. 

BPAC's recommendation will go to City Council for review. If approved, cycle track construction will begin with possible completion as early as late 2020.

View proposed design

Lead Department:
Transportation

Construction

The City awarded the construction contract to NPS Solutions, LLC, and they are scheduled to start work on Sept. 8. We anticipate the project to take 30 days, weather permitting, with work beginning on West Street. Work will be completed block by block to minimize the impacts to businesses during construction.

Once West Street is completed, the contractor will start work on Harrington Street. This schedule allows the utility work currently underway on Harrington Street to complete before our work commencing.

With this project, there will be a reduction in on-street parking along the two streets. West Street will only have on-street parking along the southbound travel lane, and Harrington Street will have on-street parking along the northbound travel lane.

West Street Before & After Parking & Loading Zone Map

Harrington Street Before & After Parking & Loading Zone Map

Construction activity for this project includes:

  • Grinding out old pavement markings; 
  • New bicycle paint markings applied; and,
  • Installation of flexible bollards. 

There are no road closures associated with the project, but please travel cautiously through the work zone, as there may be some intermittent flagging operations and lane closures.   

The City and the contractor will make all efforts to minimize any inconvenience along the two streets while we complete the project.

Next Steps

 

Construction is complete.

Phase Contacts

 

Grady McCollum, PE
Project Manager
919-996-3762

Lead Department:
Engineering Services

Complete

Phase 1 - Complete

Phase 1 of the Downtown North-South Greenway Connector was completed in October 2019. This project included the installation of a south-bound bicycle lane on the west side of Harrington and a north-bound bicycle lane on the east side of West Street. These lanes provide a dedicated bike lane in each direction from Martin Street to Hillsborough Street.

Phase 2 - Complete

The bike lanes on West and Harrington Streets were expanded around the Smoky Hollow development near the Publix on Peace Street.

Parking and loading zone configurations changed to accommodate the bike lanes. 

The following curb space changes on West Street and Harrington Street are now in place:

  • The removal of 14 time-regulated parking spaces, and 28 unregulated parking spaces along Harrington and West Streets.
  • The conversion of 45 spaces along Harrington and West Streets to metered parking, and the creation of 17 new parking spaces along North and Tucker Streets.
  • The shortening of a Commercial Loading Zone on Tucker Street, the relocation of Mixed-Use Loading/Unloading Zone on West Street, and the shortening of an evening Taxi Zone on Tucker Street.

Phase 3 - In Design

Phase 3 of the North-South Downtown Greenway Connector will provide easy bicycle access on N. West Street between Peace St. and Wade Ave. Consultants are considering the feasibility of this project. Public outreach will begin in mid-2022.

Phase 4 - Planned

Phase 4 of the North-South Downtown Greenway Connector will connect to the Rocky Branch Greenway at Dix Park and use on-street connections most likely on South Saunders, South, and West Streets to reach Cabarrus Street where it will connect to the final phase of the project, the West Street Extension.

Lead Department:
Engineering Services

rendering of the North South Connector Project

Schedule

Date Activity
June 2020 Project Design Complete
July 2020 Project Bid Complete
Sept. 8, 2020 Project Construction Begins
October 2020 Phase 1 Project Construction Complete
October 2021 Phase 2 Smoky Hollow Development Construction to be Completed

History

The Harrington Street Cycletrack Project was a priority item in the 2016 BikeRaleigh plan, and will serve as a key bicycle connection between Glenwood South to the Warehouse District. The proposed cycletrack will be installed on the east side of Harrington Street from Davie Street to North Street, eventually tying into the proposed greenway at Deveraux.  

This project was originally envisioned for West Street, but a combination of factors including cost and potential Bus Rapid Transit on West Street prompted a proposed change to the Harrington Street corridor.

A three-day, temporary event called a “pop-up” was installed on Harrington Street in April. Users and survey responders were overwhelmingly supportive of the cycletrack concept. After receiving public input in June, the project was sent to a design team for completion with more public meetings in late 2019.

In addition, our friends at Oaks & Spokes raised almost $20,000 from private donors to help with implementation.

West Street Bike Lanes