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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