The Atlantic Avenue project has crossed the finish line.
On Wednesday, October 7, the City celebrated the completion of the Atlantic Avenue Improvement project.
New improvements and safety features include:
- New sidewalks and a multi-use path - making it easier for people to walk or ride their bikes along this busy stretch of roadway.
- Installed Green Stormwater Infrastructure - to help filter stormwater before it reaches our waterways.
- A new traffic light & crosswalk at Brammer Drive - to allow safe left-hand turn movements and a safe place for pedestrians to cross the street.
- New medians along the roadway to restrict left-hand turns, improving safety by reducing the number of conflict points and the likelihood of injury crashes.
The project features public art
Artist David Wilson created The Living Community, featuring large metal tree rings that incorporate silhouettes of people, flora, and fauna along with poems by Johnny Lee Chapman, III, Raleigh's first Poet Laureate.
Why did it take so long?
All roadway projects come with their complications and coordination issues, but this one had some major delays. Let's take a look at the timeline.
- The City hired a construction contractor in early 2022, but soon after construction began, it stopped.
- The contractor went into default in mid 2022
- We had to hire a new construction contractor. That process took almost a full year.
- In the early winter of 2024, The Sunrock Group resumed construction on the project.