Danville City Council voted Tuesday night to assign $1.25 million for the next phase of the Riverwalk Trail along the Dan River. This phase would connect the Riverwalk Trail from the north bank of the Dan River to the Main Street Plaza under construction on the river’s south bank. A pedestrian and bicycle lane across the northbound Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge would connect the two.
The Riverwalk on the Dan is an 8.5-mile, paved trail for pedestrians and bicyclists, with routes on the north and south banks of the river. This phase would provide a second connection of those routes, which currently are linked only at the Crossing at the Dan on Craghead Street.
Construction would begin in the spring. The $1.25 million includes state grants totaling $1 million.
Council also voted to assign $1.4 million in state money received by the city for use in the Mount Cross Road widening project and to accept a grant of $520,000 from the Virginia Tobacco Commission to assist North American Mold Technology in starting its operation.
The Mount Cross Road widening project would extend from Lowes Drive to the west city limits. The improvements would include widening Mount Cross Road to four lanes from Lowes Drive to Parker Road with a raised grass median. From Parker Road to Womack Drive, the four lanes would have a 12 feet center turn lane, and then transition to two lanes with wider shoulders.
The city received the $1.4 million after City Council in April appropriated $3.2 million in state and federal funds for this project. The City will continue to pursue any available funds to complete construction. It is estimated that this concept plan will cost $6 million. The project currently is in the design phase.
North American Mold Technology will assemble, repair and service tire molds for U.S. and foreign tire manufactures. In September, the company announced plans to form its business in Danville and hire 120 workers at a pay scale well above average. In addition, the company is investing $4.35 million in developing its Danville facility, which will be the former Corning plant.
Next month, Council will vote to accept a $250,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund for North American Mold Technology.
The council agenda also included five public hearings, including a special use permit to allow the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History to extend its operation to a structure at 126 Sutherlin Ave. Council approved that permit.