Roanoke, Virginia – As Roanoke City aims to revamp the infrastructure of Williamson Road, one of its proposed changes, the road diet, is a matter of intense debate amongst community members.
The plan involves reducing the road from four lanes to two, a decision that is not met without controversy.
Clay McClintock, a Williamson Road resident and co-chair of the newly formed Williamson Road Community Forum, expressed his opposition to the pipeline project that includes the road diet. He suggested that reducing the lanes could lead to the downfall of businesses and eventually render the road desolate. McClintock also argued that the change could raise safety concerns for drivers as they might begin to take back roads, consequently causing traffic hazards.
On the other hand, the Community Forum’s alternative proposal, the ‘Streamline Plan,’ seeks to address traffic and pedestrian issues with better lighting, pedestrian crossings, and a shared bicycle and pedestrian pathway. Co-chair Bill Tanger believes that their plan would prove to be more effective in improving traffic flow without sacrificing the four-lane road.
Tanger is also worried that reducing the road to two lanes could prompt businesses to move elsewhere, thereby impacting the local economy. While the community forum is making a push for its plan, it is also taking a defensive approach to ensure that the road diet does not bring harm to the area.
Valerie Brown, the Williamson Road Area Business Association Executive Director, holds the opposite view and supports the city’s plan, citing safety as her primary concern. Brown argues that making the road safer for families and pedestrians will encourage them to shop on Williamson Road.
The Community Forum has requested a meeting with city leaders to evaluate their proposal and explore alternative solutions to the road diet. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen which plan will ultimately come out on top.
