Anyone who has been down Avent Ferry Road during the past two weeks might have noticed the road is in the process of being resurfaced; to the price tag of $4 million dollars. I’m super stoked about the project, as I avoided the pot-hole laden, right-hand, North bound lane like the plague before the project started. I imagine that frequent users of Avent Ferry welcome the resurfacing project as well.
You might remember in an earlier interview with Eric Lamb, Transportation Services Division, City of Raleigh Public Works Department, he told us that Avent Ferry Road was scheduled for resurfacing this summer. I would argue that NCDOT, the authority responsible for Avent Ferry Road maintenance, is missing a huge opportunity to improve the road and make it a complete street, satisfying much needed pedestrian amenities and making it safer for pedestrians crossing a five-lane road.
I missed a lunch and learn last week on Complete Streets, with James Westmoreland, NC Deputy Secretary of Transportation. I was hoping to find out about the NCDOT’s approach to complete streets. The presentation addressed:
- What are Complete Streets?
- How does NCDOT plan to implement its Complete Streets policy?
- What role do Complete Streets play in developing Sustainable Communities?
The Q& A panel included Eric Lamb, Raleigh Public Works Department and Elizabeth Alley, Planner II, Raleigh Urban Design Center. I’m familiar with many of the concepts of complete streets and think that Avent Ferry Road was overlooked during this resurfacing cycle. It could be years before we see more funding find it’s way to Avent Ferry Road.
If you’re not familiar with Avent Ferry Road, it’s a 5-lane road with a center turn lane from Western Boulevard, south to Athens Drive. There are numerous apartment complexes that line the road corridor and it’s a popular Wolfline route, providing bus service to NC State students.
In my experience, I see college students and other pedestrians crossing Avent Ferry at all hours of the day. I call it Frogger. Mostly because the pedestrians do not have many safe areas to cross Avent Ferry and because they use the center-turn lane as a safe haven to make it half-way. I have asked numerous times that the City of Raleigh install a signalized crosswalk at Trailwood Drive and Avent Ferry, but that request has yet to be fulfilled. There are probably other locations that would benefit pedestrians as well.
I don’t claim to know all the intricacies on dollars spent on resurfacing projects versus complete street projects, but I would propose this:
Avent Ferry Road would be a better complete street if it had a landscaped median with turn lanes at appropriate locations along the road way.
Other than some adjustments that will reduce the road to a three-lane section between Gorman Street and Athens Drive that will include bike-lanes, I’m not aware of any other improvements. That’s why I think this resurfacing project is a missed opportunity in making Avent Ferry Road function better for both vehicular traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians. A project of this caliber and price tag would be a great partnership between NCDOT, NC State University, the businesses, and the surrounding neighborhoods and apartment complexes that share the roadway.
By converting Avent Ferry Road from a 5-lane road to a 4-lane road with a median, we could create a safer pedestrian & cyclist environment and a better driving experience. I’m sure bike lanes or sharrows could have been addressed as well. Why did NCDOT miss this chance to make such a improvements and convert Avent Ferry Road to a complete street?
Tags: avent ferry, bike plan, community, complete streets, district D, frogger, ncdot, planning, raleigh, trailwood
While there at it, they should also throw a toll booth up, Just for fun…….
In all honesty though, they should really get NC State to foot part of the bill. Its their buses running up and down the street 24/7 that is the main reason the road needs so much work. I mean its not like they cant afford it, since tuition just went through the roof!!
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Unfortunately I do not feel a median would work on Avent Ferry as there are too many homes on both sides of the street that would lose the ability to turn in both directions. However some kind of safe pedestrian crossing area is definitely needed. There are too many people taking safe haven in the middle lane, especially at night. A cross at trailwood, and maybe even a sidewalk on trailwood would be nice (especially since they just extended the greenway to it). Either way, i hope its done soon, as a 2″ lip to get into my driveway is starting to become a pain in the ass.
[...] sure, when the asphalt has cooled and the paint has dried, we’ll have a better road. In fact, parts of Avent Ferry are getting a “road diet” as the engineers like to say. The cyclists are popping wheelies! Avent Ferry [...]