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Alexander County adopts Walk & Bike multimodal plan to pursue state funding for sidewalks and greenways
Summary
After a year of outreach, Alexander County adopted a walk-and-bike multimodal plan funded by NCDOT. The plan maps sidewalks, widened shoulders and greenways to connect schools, parks and commercial destinations and is intended to position the county for future state grants.
The Alexander County Board of Commissioners on June 1 adopted a countywide Walk & Bike multimodal plan designed to guide pedestrian and bicycle investments and make the county more competitive for state funding.
Planning Director Patrick Creech introduced the plan and turned the presentation over to Kenny Armstrong of consulting firm McAdams, who described an 18‑month process of fieldwork and public outreach that produced a draft network and a prioritized project list. Armstrong said the plan is “a guiding vision document” and emphasized it “positions the county for future funding” from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
The draft, which includes maps, scoring tables and planning-level cost estimates, focuses on completing sidewalk networks in Taylorsville and select population centers, widening shoulders on rural roads for bicycles, and building off-road greenways where feasible. Armstrong said public input and target destinations — Walmart, Food Lion, schools, parks and transit stops — drove priorities.
Commissioners closed the public hearing and approved the plan by voice/hand vote. The adoption does not itself obligate local funds; staff said adoption makes the county eligible for certain DOT grants when roadway projects are next programmed.
Next steps: Staff will circulate the adopted plan to regional partners and use it when seeking DOT or other grant funding for pedestrian, bicycle and greenway improvements.
