The changes are impossible to miss in the Towers Mall area.
New sidewalks and curbs line parts of Brandon Ave. sprucing things up for the new businesses moving in. Already the Little Caesars is open. The lot across the street is ready for development.
The same goes for the adjacent lot. In fact WSLS has confirmed that Kroger will put in a gas station here, a much needed for this neighborhood. It won't open until some time in 2009.
Speaking of Kroger, the company continues to explore its options for an expansion of the Towers store. The old CVS Pharmacy is still vacant but contractual issues could keep Kroger from moving in.
That CVS location isn't the only vacant spot here. The lower side is dotted with empty spaces and for lease signs.
The other big change out here is the traffic patterns. First off, the Wonju Street expansion, which would have connected Colonial to Brandon with one straight Road, is on hold if not dead. Roanoke City engineers say it was simply to expensive at $21 million.
Instead of the expansion VDOT reworked the lanes here. They call it access management. The hope is that the new lanes and a reworked traffic light will ease the congestion in this area, which includes some 22,000 cars a day.
Meanwhile, the access management has extended down 23rd Street to Brandon Ave. New lanes have been painted in here as well along with a brand new traffic light. It's blinking now, but VDOT officials say it should be working by the first of August.
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