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The City of Raleigh has acquired a piece of land at the southern end of Industrial Drive — the lot is one piece of a puzzle soon to create the Midtown Ring. The ring is one of seven big moves the city has planned in its Walkable Midtown project, aiming to transform the area into a pedestrian-friendly space.
The Walkable Midtown plan
The Midtown area has a lot of destinations (think: the Midtown East shopping center, Duke Raleigh Hospital, The Ritz) but currently no convenient way to walk between them.
The city completed the Walkable Midtown plan in 2020, addressing walkability, stormwater + flooding, traffic congestion, and other development issues facing the area.
So what are the Seven Big Moves?
- Crossing the Beltline — The plan calls for new Beltline crossings, a two-lane bridge connecting Barrett Drive and Navaho Drive + a pedestrian bridge connecting Industrial Drive and Bush Street
- Green Streets — Roads that reduce stormwater runoff, slow down vehicles, add greenery, and include expanded sidewalks, bicycle lanes + paths
- Connectivity and Travel Reliability — Creating a parallel street grid along Wake Forest Road, the Beltline + others by adding several new local road connections
- Serious Transit — Recommending high frequency bus routes connecting Downtown, NC State + destinations along the Beltline, plus a future Bus Rapid Transit connection between Downtown and Midtown
- The Midtown Ring — a loop of greenways, green streets, bike lanes + paths that connects major destinations in the area and nearby residential neighborhoods
- Midtown Living/Midtown Works: Land Use Guidance — Recommendations for zoning in Midtown, including transitioning the Atlantic Avenue/St. Albans Drive away from industrial use
- The Midtown Waterfront District and Park — Adding an urban park along Crabtree Creek on flood-prone property to absorb stormwater
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