City of Winston-Salem receives $2.9 million to build new sidewalks and upgrade streetlights

In a few years, you may not need your car as much to get around the city. Let’s take a walk down the path what’s coming.

In November, we asked your input on the Carbon Reduction Program, a program focused on reducing transportation emissions across the US, and you responded with how you’d like to see Winston-Salem use its funding.

The result

Drum roll please... The City of Winston-Salem received ~$2.9 million in funding from the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), a federal program that funds transportation projects and air quality maintenance. The funding was approved Thursday by the NC Department of Transportation.

“The majority of the funding is targeted towards walkability initiatives,” said Hunter Staszak, transportation engineer with the city.

How funding will be allocated

Here are the current projects within the city:

• $504,000 — Greenway wayfinding signage | These signs will notify pedestrians they’re on the right path, including destinations and distance/time.

Graphic via City of Winston-Salem Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

• $1,600,000 — Salem Parkway Multi-use Path West | Connection between Peters Creek Parkway and Truist Stadium to Wake Baptist Hospital (around Lockland Avenue).
• $800,000 — Salem Parkway controlled access street lighting upgrades | Along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive exit off to Highway 421, westward towards Silas Creek Parkway.
  “This will serve as an LED light replacement on the lights over Salem Parkway, which will improve visibility for drivers.” Staszak said.

Rendering via City of Winston-Salem Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

Both programs are designed to encourage walking, biking, and other non-motorized forms of transportation in order to reduce carbon emissions. Other benefits include less traffic, a healthier, and more sustainable community.

When will we see this happen?

City officials say the program is in its early stage and could take a few years to be completed. Of course, Rome Winston-Salem wasn’t built in one day.

“We really aspire for that — for people to be able to travel and move around whether or not they have a car.” Ridwaana Allen, transportation planner with the city said.