Brevard agrees to pay $20,000 to widen roundabout sidewalks to tie into future Acousta Trail

The Brevard City Council voted April 20 to participate in the NCDOT R5763 Wilson Road corridor project and fund an upgrade to 8‑foot sidewalks around a planned roundabout at an estimated city cost of $20,000.

Planning Director Paul Ray explained that NCDOT’s standard design includes 5‑foot sidewalks at no cost to the city, but the city requested wider 8‑foot sidewalks because the roundabout will sit near the future Acousta Trail and higher pedestrian and bicycle volumes are expected. Ray outlined four options and their estimated city costs: 8‑foot on all sides (~$20,000); 8‑foot on both sides north of the roundabout (~$15,000); 8‑foot on west side only (~$7,000); or standard 5‑foot sidewalks fully funded by NCDOT (no city cost).

Councilman Lauren Wise and others argued now is the least expensive time to secure wider sidewalks while NCDOT designs the project. "If we opt not to do all the sidewalks now, we'll have a problem later that will be more expensive to fix," Wise said.

Council approved Option 1. Council also discussed that a 400‑foot gap will remain between the project sidewalk and the future Acousta Trail; staff estimated another $18,750 would be needed later to connect that gap with an 8‑foot path. Construction on the NCDOT project is expected around 2029–2030; the city’s payment would likely be handled when the project is closed out in the years after construction.

What happens next: staff will coordinate a municipal agreement with NCDOT and include the sidewalk betterment in the project design; the city will track funding and right‑of‑way needs to ensure the future trail connection can be made.