Public meeting on Charleston lane reduction, street revitalization project to be held mid-August

Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin, right, looks over plans for the Capital Connector Project in June.Photo byCity of Charleston

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The city of Charleston has planned a public meeting for Aug. 15 and is seeking public comment on a project that plans to transform parts of Kanawha Boulevard and Greenbrier Street

Known as the Capital Connector Project, the construction proposal is the second in a set of initiatives meant to transform portions of one of Charleston’s most notorious – and most scenic – thoroughfares.

In 2017, the city completed the Kanawha Boulevard Bike Trail, which runs from Magic Island Park to the Patrick Street Bridge. That project saw the addition of bike lanes and other pedestrian-centered modifications along Kanawha Boulevard in the West Side area of the city.

The Capital Connector Project plans call for street transformations along Kanawha Boulevard East from Haddad Riverfront Park to the base of the 35th Street Bridge. The section of the boulevard runs from downtown through the city’s East End. It is also a part of U.S. Route 60.

Once complete, the project will connect both the East End and West Side neighborhoods with better biking and walking routes, proponents said.

In June 2024, the city announced it had secured $25 million for the proposed Capital Connector Project. The monies come from a RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The city applied for the grant after conducting a roughly $1 million initial study.

Project plans call for street transformations along Kanawha Boulevard East from Haddad Park to the base of the 35th St. Bridge.Photo byWV Department of Transportation

According to a project summary, the connector project “consists of a reduction of lanes and partial removal of a segmented median to allow for an expanded pedestrian and cyclist zones along the roadway.” A three-mile stretch of Kanawha Boulevard, as well as a quarter-mile section of Greenbrier Street, would be transformed as part of the project.

Ultimately, city planners hope to turn the area between Haddad Riverfront Park and Greenbrier Street into a mixed-use space, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said.

As part of the project, traffic on Kanawha Boulevard would be reduced from four and five lanes to two and three lanes within the city, officials said. The existing pedestrian pathway, which runs parallel to the boulevard, would be expanded. Stormwater management, signal modifications, and lighting and utility upgrades would also be part of the project.

A public comment meeting on the project has been scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Kanawha County Public Library, 123 Capitol St. in Charleston.

Written comments about the project will be accepted now through Sept. 14, 2024. Comments can be submitted to Benjamin Mishoe, City Manager, City of Charleston, 501 Virginia St. E, Charleston, W.Va. 25301. Comments will also be accepted online.

More information on Charleston Capital Connector project is available on the state Department of Transportation website.