All signs point to growth for the city of Henderson in the not-too-distant future. Whether you’re talking new subdivisions or urban revitalization, bringing back passenger rail service or finally widening a major congested artery through a heavily commercial district, Henderson is getting ready for change.
Change is considered a necessary evil by some, a vital component for progress by others. Either way, most would agree that change is inevitable.
Drivers who make their way along Dabney Drive have long experienced backups and congestion, and the N.C. Department of Transportation has had a widening project on its State Transportation Improvement Plan for a while, but Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon said the project could see some activity soon.
Funding is in place for the project based on the current 2024-2033 STIP, Blackmon told WIZS News Tuesday via email.
The plan originally called for portions of Dabney Drive to become a divided highway, with plans for a “peanut” shaped roundabout at the intersection with South Garnett Street down to the Dorsey Road/Oxford Road area.
Blackmon said city leaders met with DOT officials on Nov. 2 to discuss the $56.7 million project, which will commence in January or February 2024 with a public meeting. If all goes according to the timeline, an environmental document would be ready by September of 2024, followed by right-of-way acquisition, with construction underway in 2028.
“Plans remain very similar to what was originally proposed,” Blackmon stated. The concept includes upgrading the existing Dabney Drive for eastbound traffic and use the existing Corbitt Road/former railroad corridor for westbound traffic, he added.
“Dabney Drive is a critical artery for the city of Henderson,” Blackmon told community leaders in July 2022 during his “State of the City” address. “That widening project needs to happen as soon as possible.”
View the STIP plan here and scroll down to page 59 for Dabney Drive project details.
Ten years sounds like a long time, but when you’re talking about completing major projects like the Dabney Drive expansion and creating a downtown train station for commuter and passenger rail, a decade can go by quickly.
In light of Sen. Thom Tillis’s announcement Tuesday of $1 billion being earmarked for the the S-Line corridor that will ultimately bring a stop in Henderson, the opportunity for even more downtown development and growth is almost certain.
City leaders are planning next steps for the location of a downtown train station that could serve as a springboard for Henderson to be a destination for train travelers to dine, see a show and enjoy other downtown amenities that haven’t even been thought of yet.
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