Historic Ridgeview Walk Information
Project Overview
First identified as a project in the City’s Inspiring Spaces Plan, the Historic Ridgeview Walk (formerly referred to as Book Walk) will be part of the larger Hickory Trail multiuse path system and bond program that seeks to increase quality of life for residents and spur economic revitalization by providing pedestrian and bicycle connectivity throughout the City.
Historic Ridgeview Walk will specifically provide this connectivity within the Ridgeview community and connect the Ridgeview community to Downtown Hickory and U.S. 70.
In October 2019, City Council approved and accepted an agreement for professional services with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for design services related to the Historic Ridgeview Walk project.
The Historic Ridgeview Walk path will travel from the City Walk down South Center Street, west across City-owned property at the Historic Ridgeview Public Library, and south on 1st Street SW to the current Ridgeview Branch Library. The path will then go west on 7th Avenue SW past Ridgeview Recreation Center, before turning south and following 4th Street SW and 4th Street Drive SW to U.S. 70 at the Walmart Neighborhood Market.
Historic Ridgeview Walk proposes to construct a 1.2-mile, 10-foot-wide multiuse path for pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages and abilities, connecting residents to community amenities. Design plans for the Historic Ridgeview Walk will be consistent with City Walk aesthetics.
The project also plans to incorporate historical markers along the route to recognize and celebrate people and places of historical significance in Ridgeview, as identified by community stakeholders. The proposed design will also incorporate and complement The Untouchables monument at the corner of 7th Avenue SW and 3rd Street SW.
The project will address pedestrian safety at intersections by adding pedestrian signals to existing signalized intersections along the route and proposed the addition of several high-visibility mid-block crossings near the Ridgeview Library Historic Site. This project includes improvements to the intersection at U.S. 70 with enhanced pedestrian crossing to the Walmart Neighborhood Market. The pedestrian crossing enhancements will include at-grade, high visibility crosswalks with pedestrian signals.
The City was awarded $5.2 million of federal Surface Transportation Block Grant – Direct Attributable (STBG-DA) funds towards the Historic Ridgeview Walk project by the Greater Hickory Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) back in 2018. The City of Hickory and NCDOT are sharing the costs associated with the project.
On August 1, 2023, Hickory City Council approved a $6,462,202.23 construction contract with Kemp Sigmon Construction Company, Inc. for the Historic Ridgeview Walk.
A groundbreaking ceremony on October 18, 2023, celebrated the official start of construction for the Historic Ridgeview Walk. The project is anticipated to take approximately 18 months to complete.
Alignment Map and Renderings
Construction Progress
