The city of Charlotte unveiled 45 pedestrian crossing, street improvement and trail projects on Tuesday that are under consideration for the SouthPark area.
Put together, these projects would go a long way toward fixing some of SouthPark’s most persistent problems — like being woefully car-centric, difficult to walk around and full of concrete and asphalt.
[Agenda story: 7 ideas for fixing SouthPark]
Some of them will be carried out with $10 million in city money dedicated to the area. The rest will go into a “playbook” as SouthPark neighborhoods and businesses begin to raise their own money to improve walkability and community feel.
The next step? The city of Charlotte plans to narrow down this list to a few finalists by March.
Want to weigh in? You can fill out a survey from the city here. Want high-def maps and explanations of all 45 projects? Click here.
Here’s the full map of all 45 projects.
Sorry if it’s hard to read. Zoom in for a better view.
Some of the coolest projects are trails.
The Park Loop — No. 7 on the map — would wrap around the entire area and connect with the Cross Charlotte Trail to the west.
The SouthPark Loop would trace a more compact path around the central business district.
The Backlot Trail would connect Park Road Park all the way through SouthPark.
All of them would be bike- and pedestrian friendly and many would incorporate public art.
The rest are all about roads and making them safer for walkers and bikers.
Some of the high-profile potential projects include:
- Filling gaps in the sidewalks near the Morrison Regional Library
- Putting in a sidewalk along Barclay Downs Drive
- Connecting Phillips Place with Sharon View Road
- Adding pedestrian crossings along Fairview Road, Morrison Boulevard or Sharon Road
- Improving bike and pedestrian accommodations on Archdale Drive, Park South Drive, Sharon View Road or Barclay Downs Drive
- Reducing Barclay Downs Drive, Carnegie Boulevard or Morrison Boulevard from 4 lanes each to 2 lanes.
- Reconfiguring intersections throughout SouthPark
