ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke City officials are launching a major safety improvement project along Williamson Road Monday.
For six months, the city will add a center turn lane and single turn lanes in both directions on the stretch of Williamson Road between Pocahontas Avenue, near the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, and Angell Avenue, in the vicinity of AutoZone and James Breckinridge Middle School.
These modifications come in response to alarming safety statistics: six pedestrians were killed along this road between 2019 and 2023, accounting for about one-third of the city’s pedestrian fatalities. Additionally, Williamson Road is the site of approximately one in five car crashes in Roanoke.
“One of the business owners recently said that’s not good for business. That’s right. We have to have an improved safety record here on Williamston Road. That will make it better for businesses and the adjoining neighborhoods and the churches and all the other good things that are happening on Williamson,” said Transportation Manager Dwayne D’Ardenne with Roanoke City.
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The improvements are part of the broader Envision Williamson Road project, a long-term initiative aimed at revitalizing the area. The project’s goals extend beyond safety improvements to include attracting new businesses and creating housing opportunities.
“What Williamson Road wants to be is a thriving community. It has lost its luster over the past couple of decades. We’re trying to bring that back. This road project is just one of those elements to get it there,” said D’Ardenne.
Following the six-month demonstration period, which will run through March, the city plans to repave Williamson Road in 2026. The city said it will gather feedback from local businesses and residents before deciding if the lane configuration will be permanent when they repave the road.
“There are so many good things happening on Williamson. They just need a backbone to build upon, and that’s what we’re trying to do with this project,” said D’Ardenne.