The City of Greensboro has big plans for improving the 2.3-mile stretch of Randleman Road between I-40 and I-85 and other sections of the road – by making a vast number of changes.

And, if you want to offer your input on the best ways to upgrade the corridor, you have two final chances to do so.

The City of Greensboro is holding two “Public Engagement Events” regarding its Randleman Road Corridor Plan. The city is seeking public input two last times as part of the final stages of the second phase of the plan. To that end, the Greensboro Planning Department staff is holding two drop-in sessions for those interested in the project.

The sessions will be at New Goshen United Methodist Church at 3300 Randleman Road on Tuesday, Sept. 10 and Wednesday, Sept. 11.  Both events will run from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. You can drop by anytime during those hours on either day to see a draft of how the city plans to improve the corridor and surrounding areas.

City planning staff will be all ears when it comes to your advice, and they’ll also provide details on how the plan will be implemented and answer questions regarding the plan.

Earlier this summer, city planning staff held a picnic for residents who wanted to share their advice about what the future of the Randleman Road corridor should entail.  The city held another input meeting in March and has been putting together the plan for much of 2024.

Randleman Road is a focus for the city because it is “a significant entrance into Greensboro [and] is home to a diverse array of commercial businesses surrounded by established neighborhoods.”

City officials also note that the road is a “key transportation route” for Greensboro.

Some major concerns on the table are traffic safety, a lack of proper lighting making business owners feel unsafe, and abandoned and unattractive buildings.

The new plan is wide-ranging and includes things like providing “aesthetically pleasing elements such as plantings, public art, and wayfinding tools.”

Some other likely changes include updating the timing of traffic signals, installing more “bike and pedestrian facilities” and upgrading signage and gardens.

City planners also intend to use a trail network to connect Randleman Road to various nearby neighborhoods as well as improve conditions for bicycle riders, and, “where feasible, widen sidewalks to accommodate bicycles and/or implement bicycle lanes as future conditions permit and the community supports the change.”

The City of Greensboro is also planning to use new “Code Compliance software” to track and enforce code violations by repeat offenders.

The draft plan calls for the city to increase funding for – and expand programs for – the demolition of abandoned and dilapidated buildings along the corridor.

Incentives will be used to increase retail recruitment to the area, and the city will also implement “strategies to foster reinvestment on vacant and underutilized land to keep up with changing markets and provide goods and services to area residents.”

You may also see some attention directed to the area by “short-term pop-up events” in public spaces that are made available for event rental.

Other parts of the draft plan include the following:

  • Install additional LED street lights in areas without sufficient coverage.
  • Work with private parking lot owners to help brighten up particularly dark lots.
  • Install license plate readers in targeted areas that are identified through a comprehensive crime rate analysis.
  • Work more closely with commercial landowners and their private security firms for enhanced communication sharing and collaborative remediation of safety issues.
  • Work with landowners to install prohibitive signage on parcels, and within parking lots – such as Trespassing Letters of Intent, No Littering, Parking Lot Closing Hours, etc.
  • Incorporate and encourage public art opportunities within new developments or on city-owned land.
  • Consider strategic purchases of land to add public spaces to the corridor.
  • Develop wayfinding and signage infrastructure that directs visitors and residents to historical resources, prominent businesses and recreational space.
  • Increase fines or other financial penalties for illegal truck parking.
  • Work with public health partners in the local area to explore the possibility of introducing more health institutions along Randleman Road.
  • Coordinate with the Guilford County Division of Public Health to ensure that temporary outdoor vendors adhere to food safety guidelines.

If anyone has questions about the plans for the corridor or the two September events, they can visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/RandlemanRoad or contact Kelly Larkins by calling 336-412-5739.