Press Release: 
Harrisonburg to receive $14.3 million in federal funds for Liberty Street project [620KB]
The offices of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine and U.S. Senator Mark Warner announced on June 26, 2023 that Harrisonburg would receive approximately $14.3 million in federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) grant funds to support the City’s Downtown Harrisonburg Streetscape & Mobility Transformation project. The project will create safer and more accessible routes for travelers in Downtown, enhance area streetscape aesthetics and increase transportation and trail connectivity for community members and visitors, among other benefits. View the press release from the U.S. Senator’s office.
A very competitive grant opportunity, the funding supports 100 percent of the project’s current estimated cost with no matching City funds necessary at this time.
The Downtown Harrisonburg Streetscape and Mobility Transformation project includes:
- The transformation of one lane (starting at Noll Drive at Kratzer Avenue, moving south down Liberty Street to Main Street) into two-way separated bicycle lanes, also known as a two-way cycle track, protected by a median separating the bike lanes from traffic. The median spaces may allow for green space use (installation of grass, gardens, etc.) in various locations supporting downtown beautification and City environmental initiatives and programs.
- Installation of a connecting section of path from Grattan Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Way, where the Bluestone Trail begins and runs through James Madison University to Purcell Park.
- Upgrades at intersections, including adding pedestrian signals and curb bumpouts that improve safety for pedestrians and features such as decorative signal poles.
- Changes to the intersection of Liberty Street, Main Street and Grattan Street to improve safety at this intersection.
- To be determined - Should funding be made available, relocation of overhead utility lines to be underground, and removing the utility poles that obstruct sidewalk access. The extent of this task will be determined by the amount of funding available.
The project was originally identified in the Harrisonburg Downtown 2040 Plan, which looked at ways to improve Harrisonburg’s Downtown for the future. Prior to the creation of this Plan, a study was completed to evaluate the potential to reduce Liberty Street to 1 vehicle lane. This study is available here.
Above is an initial diagram that shows the basic project concept. Final design plans will vary to best accomplish the two-way separated bicycle lanes and median space for each block of the project. The design of vegetation in the medians and intersection upgrades are also subject to change. The Liberty Street Conceptual design diagrams submitted for the RAISE Grant may be found here: Liberty Street Conceptual Design Diagrams [14.7MB]. These concepts will be revised and refined through the engineering/design process, during which further information and designs will be provided to the public for residents and stakeholders to provide feedback and identify any desires or concerns related to this project.
Project Schedule:
Preliminary Engineering and Public Involvement: 2024-25
Right-of-way acquisition: 2025-26
Construction: 2027-28
Project questions may be sent to Brittany.Clem-Hott@harrisonburgva.gov.