Durham Hosts Angier-Driver Streetscape Groundbreaking May 18

Spring brings more than warm weather and sunshine to Durham. It also marks the beginning of construction for the Angier-Driver Streetscape Project and the City of Durham wants the community to come out and celebrate the beginning of this much-anticipated project.

On Saturday, May 18, 2013, at 10 a.m. the City’s Public Works Department and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development are hosting a groundbreaking ceremony in the parking lot of Angier Avenue Baptist Church, located at 2101 Angier Ave.

The event will mark the beginning of this project, which will help promote economic revitalization and enhance the visual appeal of the Angier/Driver commercial corridor. Speakers include Mayor William V. “Bill” Bell, Deputy City Manager Keith Chadwell, Joe’s Diner Owner Joseph Bushfan, and Samuel & Sons Barbershop Owner Samuel Jenkins. Light refreshments will also be served.

The $4.8 million project, funded by 2005 bond funds, neighborhood revitalization funds, and capital improvement project funds provides for new pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalks, landscaping, underground and overhead utilities, and street lights in a streetscape design similar to downtown Durham. The project extends from the intersection of Angier Avenue and Driver Street east along Angier Avenue to Briggs Avenue, and includes Driver Street north to Ashe Street. Construction began in April 2013 and the project is expected to be complete in October 2014.

For more information on this streetscape project, click here or contact Chris Dickey with the City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development at (919) 560-4965, ext. 15204 or by email at Chris.Dickey@DurhamNC.gov, or Michael M. Hughes, PE with the City’s Public Works Department, at (919) 560-4326, ext. 30266 or by email at Michael.Hughes@DurhamNC.gov.

About the Public Works Department
The City of Durham Public Works Department provides a wide range of services, including street maintenance, engineering design, development review and stormwater quality and infrastructure maintenance. The department also oversees street resurfacing and sidewalk projects. The department plans and executes the City’s winter weather and natural disaster plans. Public Works serves as a steward of the City’s physical assets and ensures that residents live in a safe, secure, and thriving community. For more information, click here.

About the Office of Economic & Workforce Development
Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the Office of Economic & Workforce Development helps ensure that Durham has a strong and diverse economy by increasing the city’s tax base through several revitalization initiatives, including new development efforts in the central city area. The department also plans and promotes cultural awareness and events, identifies and recruits target industries as well as assesses and trains Durham residents to fill new jobs. For more information, click here, “like” on Facebook, or “follow” on Twitter.

Click here for more information about Durham, NC.