There is a lot going on this spring, and Oaks and Spokes wants to make sure our members know about opportunities for public comment on projects that impact your ability to safely ride your bike. To date, our greenway system in Raleigh is our only all ages and abilities infrastructure in place. We’re working really hard to advocate and change that, but in the meantime we encourage you to plug in to the Parks and Recreation Bond planning process to provide input on the projects you’d like to see – especially pertaining to our greenway system. Keep in mind that in addition to the bond conversation, Parks and Rec is also taking on a long overdue Master Plan update (info here), so please make sure to engage with both efforts to impact the change you’d like to see.
Currently, there are (4) more open houses scheduled to get community feedback on proposed projects for this bond, which will be on the ballot this fall. Meetings will be held:
Public Open House – Saturday, March 7, 9 to 11 a.m.
Location: Abbotts Creek Community Center
Public Open House – Saturday, March 7, 1 to 3 p.m.
Location: Laurel Hills Community Center
Special PRGAB Meeting – Thursday, March 12, 6 p.m
Location: Five Points Center for Active Adults
Regular PRGAB Meeting – Thursday, March 19, 6 p.m.
Location: City Council Chambers
In addition to in-person meeting opportunities there is also an online survey available here and you can see the proposed facilities here.
Some general feedback we’d like to offer, includes:
For loops like Lake Lynn and Lake Johnson, which are both proposed for improvements we’d love to see really intentional connections so the loops can be segments of larger transportation corridors, vs. just recreational assets. Hare Snipe Creek Trail actually does a really nice job of connecting Lake Lynn down to the south but it currently ends abruptly at Leesville and Millbrook Roads, making it difficult to get to key destinations like the Pleasant Valley shopping center, which is a stone’s throw away. It would be great to see our greenway system intentionally connect into destinations to allow car-free mobility trips vs. predominately being a recreational asset.
That’s why, of all the projects we see listed, we’re probably most excited about the Hare Snipe Trail grant match that would allow a new trail connection from Wooten Meadows Park (where this trail currently ends) to Crabtree Creek Trail. This would be a huge connection that is currently missing, and would fill a ~.5 mile gap and allow folks pretty far north to use the greenway system to get into ITB. If we can couple this with on-road, protected infrastructure, we’re really looking at a significant ability to provide better options for residents than we currently have for car-free mobility.
Similarly we strongly support the proposed Barwell Connector Trail and Barwell Road Park Improvements for this reason, as it would include a new trail connection between Barwell Road, through Barwell Road Park, along Neuse River tributary to the Neuse River Trail. Project scope also includes development of passive recreation amenities such as a comfort station, a picnic shelter, a dog park and site furnishing, in conjunction with the greenway connector trail construction.
The proposed planning of Devereux Meadows Park is a critical facility, that would provide the north end connection for the N/S Greenway Connector being placed on street this summer on West and Harrington Streets (as currently proposed). Our vision is to someday have a trail similar to the Atlanta beltline, that seamlessly brings folks from the neighborhoods into downtown so they can easily get to work, school and home – safely and efficiently, without ever using their car. The Pigeon House Branch alignment north of the city is a critical connection that is currently lacking dedicated funding to implement (reference the Capital Boulevard Corridor Study for additional information on this alignment), and the bond only proposes making a small dent in this plan. At minimum, we would like to see Parks and Recreation work closely with the Transportation department to add on-road protected facilities to connect to the multi-use underpass at Capital and Wade. If we seek a sustainable and equitable city and transportation system, continued investments in this corridor will be an important piece of that.
Another small thing, it would be nice to see in the project spreadsheet the number of miles the upgrade or proposed new facility would be, once complete. This would allow individuals to gauge the full impact of a project.
We look forward to seeing you at these public meetings, and as always, thank you for riding your bike!