West Boulevard expanded into The River District

The West Boulevard expansion into The River District officially opened Tuesday.

Why it matters: It's the latest milestone in Charlotte-based developer Crescent Communities' 1,400-acre master-planned community quickly going up between the Catawba River and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Zoom in: The road expansion, a little over three-quarters of a mile, is two lanes in each direction. Trees and greenery buffers the car traffic from the bike lanes, and the street elevates into a pedestrian path.

What they're saying: "The streetscape you'll notice is going to be very different than other parts of Charlotte. It has this very nice multi-modal separation," Rainer Ficken, The River District's senior managing director, told Axios during an interview in August .

By the numbers: The City of Charlotte invested $18 million into the new road infrastructure. Crescent's share was about $12 million.

What's next: The River District will have its first residents next year as the first homes are completed.