In recent years, the centrally located community of Sanford, North Carolina (population 30,000), has worked hard to support their historic downtown and growing local arts and culture scene through investments in everything from murals to streetscaping. This has resulted in a well-connected city with the charm of an urban artist’s village.
When we look at the streets of Sanford however, the story changes – we see highways that focus more on moving people through town, than encouraging them to stay and enjoy what Sanford has to offer. The fast-paced nature of the roads doesn’t yet match the charm of the surrounding areas.
Mobycon teamed up with Stantec and The City of Sanford to bring fresh thinking to the downtown corridor redesign project. In addition to supporting the delivery of a design charrette, Mobycon will also provide an analysis of design alternatives and conduct a final design review.
The charrette brought together members of the community with planners, urban designers, and engineers to learn about the project, identify challenges and opportunities, and explore corridor design options. Feedback around themes of safety and accessibility for all road users was consistent throughout the charrette.
After three full days of live designing and updating, the corridor is now under review – with solutions ranging from shared crossings to pedestrian-friendly roundabouts and protected intersections. No matter how the design recommendations may evolve, Mobycon is optimistic that the final complete street design will tell a story that encourages citizens and tourists to slow down and enjoy everything that Sanford has to offer.
To learn more about Mobycon’s work in the US or our unique approach to design review, feel free to contact Mary Elbech in North Carolina at m.elbech@mobycon.com.
