WAKE FOREST, NC – Beginning today (Friday, Sept. 11) and continuing through Thursday, Sept. 17, the Town of Wake Forest will remove and replace several curb ramps and sections of sidewalk along portions of East Sycamore Avenue, East Holding Avenue, and South Main Street/US 1A.
The work is the result of a $15,000 Flagship Grant awarded to the Town through the 2026 AARP Community Challenge grant program - part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative. The program supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods, and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages.
In 2024, the Town was accepted into the AARP Age-Friendly Communities network. One year later, as a part of this initiative, Wake Forest was awarded two grants to conduct pedestrian and bike audits in 11 locations around town. Through these audits, officials identified opportunities to improve safety for pedestrians. The Town’s grant application and subsequent award is a result of the work done in these audits.
From September 11-17, the Town will use the $15,000 Flagship Grant to:
- Install four ADA-compliant curb ramps along East Sycamore. Signage and cones will be in place to notify motorists and pedestrians.
- Remove and replace several curb ramps and repair asphalt along East Holding. The work will require crews to temporarily close the portion of East Holding from South Main/US 1A to the railroad tracks Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 14-16, from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. each day.
- Remove and replace a 45-ft. section of sidewalk along South Main/US 1A. A temporary lane reduction may be required.
These efforts are designed to enhance safety and walkability for community members walking along South Main into downtown Wake Forest and to popular community facilities, such as the Wake Forest Community Library, US Post Office, Northern Regional Center, and Wake Forest Center for Active Aging, all of which are located along East Holding.
For more information about the scheduled work, email Streets Maintenance Manager Joe Medlin at jmedlin@wakeforestnc.gov. For more information about the Flagship Grant, email Grants Program Manager Jack Cassidy at jcassidy@wakeforestnc.gov.