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New Crosswalks Installed at Three Intersections in Boone, Part of Ped/Bike Plan

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The intersection at U.S. 321 and Boone Heights Drive is among three intersections where new crosswalk lights have been installed in Boone. Photos by Troy Brooks

By Jesse Wood

The Town of Boone continues to become more safely navigable at highway intersections for pedestrians.

Recently, the Town of Boone installed crosswalk lights at three new intersections: U.S. 321 and Clement Drive (near Holmes Convocation Center); N.C. 105 and Wilson Drive (near Peabody’s Wine Merchants); U.S. 321 and Boone Heights Drive (near LifeStore Bank).

As Boone Public Works Deputy Director Eric Gustaveson, this is all part of the town’s Pedestrian and Bike Plan. Gustaveson said that the N.C. Department of Transportation and the Town of Boone partnered with the installation. The Boone Town Council budgeted 70,000 for the signalization of the intersections.

Gustaveson said that these three intersections were chosen after an “intersection inventory” was conducted by town staff, recommended by a local transportation committee, and approved by the Boone Town Council.

Gustaveson noted that the intersection near Hardee’s is heavily trafficked by pedestrians parking at Horn in the West to go to school and by the public attending events at the Holmes Convocation Center. He also noted that the Boone Heights Drive crosswalk will contribute to pedestrians safely navigating from Deerfield Road to N.C. 105.

“We feel like those three are good additions to our network, and we are continually looking at other options,” Gustaveson said.

He mentioned that now that the sidewalk on State Farm Road is complete, the town could look at adding crosswalks at busy intersections along that stretch of road.

But that and other location options would have to wait. Gustaveson said the next round of crosswalks would need funding and that wouldn’t take place until the next fiscal-year budget.

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Wilson Drive – N.C. 105 intersection
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U.S. 321 intersection near Holmes Convocation Center and Hardee’s