The opening statement of the Capital Blvd Corridor Study Report describes it as “the most travelled and least-loved gateway into Downtown Raleigh.” Now is the time to consider options that will make this road system into an entranceway that invites a more pleasant, pedestrian and commuter friendly gateway into Downtown.
The city has just issued its updated vision and recommendations for the corridor, and opened a one month public comment period.
It’s a 65 page report, so I’ve identified some of the key items likely to be of most interest for residents who live, work or play in the northern end of Downtown Raleigh, in and around the Peace Street Corridor.
Capital Blvd Interchange at Peace Street
The present speed limit and design of the roadway make it difficult to safely access businesses adjacent to the southern end of Capital Blvd, and for pedestrians within the Peace Street corridor.
Recommendation: Integrate this area with the urban grid by extending Johnson Street and Harrington Streets as a “quadrant roadway interchange”. Reference page 30 in the report.
Devereux Park
Devereux Meadow
The area on the northwest corner of Peace Street and Capital Blvd was once a baseball stadium, and until recently the home of the City’s Solid Waste Services Department. The adjacent West Street is “off the beaten path” with very little car and pedestrian traffic.
Recommendation: Extend West Street north to Wake Forest Road to create a local access street that would run adjacent to the park and form an alternative route into Downtown Raleigh.
Future Residential / Business Growth
This road configuration promises a huge impact on the growth of the northern end of Downtown. By improving the infrastructure of access roads, the city can both restore vitality to an area that is presently under-utilized and support centers of commerce like Seaboard Station. Case in point is the current State of Seaboard Station.
Recommendation: Facilitate pedestrian and bicycle access and improve traffic safety along the Peace Street Corridor. Reference the associated Peace Street Visioning Study.
I applaud the city for acknowledging the need for “significant changes to the infrastructure of the corridor, not just land use policies.”
Take the time to read through this important report. The study’s recommendations will truly shape the walking and biking accessibility of Downtown residents to local businesses, with the first cluster of projects labelled the “downtown express” (page 51).
In my view, restoring the Peace Street intersection to the grid is a necessary first step to creating a new Capital Blvd.
Previous DLA blog posts relating to Capital Blvd:
Peace Street Corridor: Picture a “complete street” with a new park and greenway connections
Re-Imagining Capital Boulevard