ROANOKE, Va. – Williamson Road, once the bustling main artery of Roanoke, is the focus of a new city project aimed at restoring its former vibrancy.
The “Envision Williamson Road” initiative, spearheaded by Roanoke city leaders, seeks to revitalize the corridor by addressing safety concerns and incorporating community input.
The project’s long-term vision was presented at the first in a series of focus groups on Tuesday, where residents, business owners, and community members were invited to share their thoughts on what improvements are needed.
Eric Fisher, principal of Preston Park Elementary, emphasized the importance of making the area safer for students, many of whom walk along the road.
“They are getting somewhere, and in many cases, they’re walking there,” Fisher said. “If they can’t walk, they’re not going unless they get public transportation, which is sometimes sporadic.”
Williamson Road has become a diverse cultural hub, with people from various backgrounds living and starting businesses in the area. Fisher highlighted this diversity as one of the road’s strengths, noting that the project aims to harness this spirit while addressing the challenges of modern urban living.
Rather than calling this a road project, the city is really focusing on the community surrounding the road and how improving the infrastructure can help the community.
“The road project needs to support the community, not the other way around. This really is not about a road project. This is about what we want for the community over the course of the coming decades. This is a once-in-a-generation investment,” Transportation Division Manager Dwayne D’ardenne said.
Roanoke City officials plan to hold two more focus groups to gather additional community input. However, the project is long-term, with construction expected to begin no sooner than 2030.