WAXHAW, N.C. — The Town of Waxhaw has built a vision for the future, trying to bring in more foot traffic for businesses. The Downtown Pedestrian Improvements project has been in the works for six years.
The project will make space for both cars and people. With so many historic spaces, the town wanted to create a tie between local businesses and the history that's there.
The project started this week on Church Street, adding sidewalks and curbs. Soon, the work will pop up along Main Street, giving pedestrians a way to cross busy intersections like NC16 and NC75 that run through the heart of the town.
Neil Gimon has owned Dreamchaser's Brewery for seven years and explained the improvements will help not just his business but all of them.
"Huge boost for us -- but not just to us, but other businesses that are down here and on the corner," Gimon said.
With 100 businesses downtown, the overall plan is to create a corridor for people to shop and stay. Construction is expected to last six months but the hope is to provide safety and access that compliments the rest of Waxhaw.
The project is funded by a grant from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization. Waxhaw applied for the funding. The agency is responsible for the allocation of federal transportation funds in the area.
Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.