Williamson Road Demonstration Project to Launch September 29

The City of Roanoke will begin the next phase of the Envision Williamson Road project on September 29, 2025, marking a significant step toward improving roadway safety along the Williamson Road corridor.

The six-month demonstration will reconfigure travel lanes from Pocahontas Avenue to Angell Avenue, adding a dedicated center turn lane while shifting to one northbound lane and one southbound lane. Instead of using orange cones or barrels, the street will be restriped to look and function as a standard roadway. The restriping process is anticipated to take several days. During this time, one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction to ensure continued access for residents, businesses, and visitors.

City staff and consultants will be on-site during the initial days to adjust signal timing as needed. Traffic data is already being collected on Williamson Road and nearby neighborhood streets, and will continue to be monitored throughout the project to help evaluate its effectiveness.

This effort reflects extensive community engagement with residents, businesses, schools, and advocacy groups. A steering committee representing these stakeholders guided the process and reached a majority consensus on a vision for the corridor and selected the safety countermeasures and roadway configuration used in the demonstration.

Aligned with the City's Complete Streets and Vision Zero policies, the demonstration is designed to be an impactful way to prioritize safety while advancing the community's long-term vision for the corridor.

For more information about Envision Williamson Road project, visit https://roanoke-va.civilspace.io/en/projects/envision-williamson-road.