WithersRavenel is providing planning, design, environmental documentation/permitting, right-of-way acquisition, and utility relocation for a new multi-use path and linear park. These facilities will provide both recreational opportunities and alternative modes of transportation for previously under-served minority populations along the corridor. Shelton Avenue will become a gateway to the city, and this project in particular will set the tone for future downtown revitalization efforts.
One of the primary challenges of the project are the site constraints. The project corridor is approximately one mile long and bordered on one side by NC 115/US 21 south and on the other side by Norfolk Southern Railroad, which prohibits the redevelopment or expansion of several existing businesses. In addition, the proposed corridor is occupied by several vacant/dilapidated properties as well as existing businesses, which may require coordination with the NCDEQ and knowledge of the Brownfields program and incentives in order to convert environmental liabilities into assets.