The next phase of streetscape improvements in the River District will begin on Monday, March 28. Construction will take place along Craghead Street from Newton Street to Loyal Street. Lane closures will be intermittent throughout the project, which will take seven to eight months to complete.
The third phase will begin with installation of storm drains to mitigate flooding along the street. The project also includes utility upgrades and replacement of sidewalks and curb and gutter.
The cost of construction will be $1 million. Quality Construction is the contractor.
The first streetscape phase was completed in December 2013. In the first phase, improvements were made in the 300, 400 and 500 blocks of Main Street and the block of Union Street between Main and Spring streets.
Activity in the first phase ranged from widening sidewalks and installing brick pavers to creating more visible and safer pedestrian crossings, installing storm drains, upgrading utilities and providing amenities such as trees, benches and new lighting.
The second streetscape phase was completed in April 2014. It included the creation of the Main Street Plaza and installation of the JTI Fountain.
The next construction project was the creation of a pedestrian lane on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge to connect the walking trail on the north side of the Dan River to the Main Street Plaza and the walking trail on the south side of the river. This project soon will be completed.
The streetscape phases are part of the broader River District Development Project, which is in its sixth year. As part of the project, the city has adopted design guidelines for the look and feel of buildings in the district; converted Patton Street to two-way traffic in order to provide better access to businesses and parking lots serving stores on Main Street; opened a new parking lot at 500 Main St.; and conducted a parking study for the full district.
In addition, the City last year unveiled the “Reimagine That” branding for the River District.
The River District has attracted nearly $100 million in private investment since the start of the project. That figure outpaces public investment by threefold.