Monroe Road Streetscape Improvements

As a part of the $800 million Community Investment Plan, the City of Charlotte proposes to improve a 2-mile segment of Monroe Road from Briar Creek Road to Sharon Amity Road. These improvements will enhance multimodal accommodations and provide economic development opportunities. RS&H’s services involve evaluating existing and anticipated land use and traffic conditions along the corridor, identifying opportunities and constraints to improve the corridor, and developing improvements accordingly. Public engagement is critical and RS&H is working with neighborhood groups and local stakeholders to keep the community involved throughout the project.

The project extends through several neighborhoods and is adjacent to the Independence Boulevard corridor, which has been a focus of planning and revitalization efforts for the past decade. As part of the planning phase, RS&H presented the project to several neighborhood organizations and business owners to gather feedback on issues and opportunities along the corridor. RS&H also facilitated a half-day public workshop that was attended by more than 100 people.

RS&H conducted a walking tour of the corridor with the project team and other city officials to get a first-hand look and identify issues and opportunities. The team then developed potential typical sections and streetscape improvements, which were presented to the public and local business owners. As a result of the feedback and our evaluation of existing and proposed land uses, environmental features, traffic operations, utilities, and design constraints, various alternatives were evaluated and a preferred typical section was selected. RS&H developed a planning report summarizing the city’s Urban Street Design Guidelines six-step process that was followed to arrive at the preferred typical section and recommended improvements.

RS&H’s public involvement and graphic design services have provided unique benefits to the client. We used visually appealing graphics to clearly present proposed improvements and alternatives. In addition, the planning report was a magazine-style deliverable that included full-page graphics and maps that was very well received by the client.

As preliminary designs are being developed, RS&H is working with the city to reduce impacts to businesses along the corridor and maximize use of available funding. RS&H will also prepare final designs and right-of-way plans to advance the project to construction.