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04/17/2025 11:42 am
Planning
A vision to connect Dorothea Dix and John Chavis Community Parks.
Updated: Apr 17, 2025
The Vision: What is a Strollway?
To establish an active transportation corridor that links two culturally significant historic sites in Raleigh: John Chavis Memorial Park and Dorothea Dix Park.
True to its name, the Strollway invites pedestrian movement at a slower, more relaxed pace—encouraging walking, rolling, and casual exploration rather than hurried travel.
The Strollway will enhance the pedestrian experience with unique opportunities for social connection and community-building, as well as provide spaces for small, programmed events. The Strollway will also provide opportunities to celebrate the heritage of historic Fourth Ward and South Park neighborhoods while leveraging the planned expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center.
The Strollway represents more than just a pedestrian path. By prioritizing cultural heritage, pedestrian experience, and community-driven design, the project aims to create a vibrant and inclusive public corridor that reflects the voices and values of those who live, work, and visit here.
Ken Bowers
Assist. Department Director
Planning and Development
ken.bowers@raleighnc.gov
919-996-2633
The goal of the Chavis-Dix Strollway is to celebrate Raleigh’s rich cultural history while connecting multiple communities on the southeast and southwest sides of the city. In doing so, it will provide a safe, accessible, and active transportation-focused corridor that connects downtown to two historic sites. This project will energize the area through placemaking, interpretive signage, partnerships, and community engagement.
The proposed active transportation-focused corridor aims to connect Raleigh’s downtown core to these key developments and resources along the way:
This project will serve Raleigh residents and visitors alike. It will tie two of Raleigh’s largest parks to downtown, increasing access to both parks and bridging a gap in the City’s greenway network. The community sees this urban trail project as a priority because it will connect so many unique places of historical and cultural significance to Raleigh’s evolution. The Strollway will highlight history of Fourth Ward neighbohood and, by linking to the proposed South Park Heritage trail, will also support and celebrate the history of the South Park neighborhood, a historic neighborhood developed after the Civil War.
Public engagement events have occurred in reference to the Strollway since 2021 and will continue to do so into future phases of the project.
This project has, in conjunction with the South Park Heritage Walk, been awarded a $3 million federal grant for implementation. The funding was made available through the advocacy of North Carolina Congresswoman Deborah Ross. The implementation of key priorities identified by the community will be limited to what is achievable under the current limited funding. Currently, the western section connecting Dix Park to downtown will be initiated with federal funding.
However, other potential funding opportunities could be pursued to support implementation of other desired placemaking elements of the Strollway.
The City of Raleigh is making significant investments in the historic John Chavis Memorial Park and the new Dorothea Dix Park. These are both important landscapes and demonstrate commitment to creating equitable public spaces for all to enjoy. The city is excited to launch planning efforts focused on phased implementation of a Strollway that would connect these two historic sites to downtown.
Since 2021, staff from Planning and Development; Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources; Transportation; Community Engagement; Housing and Neighborhoods; Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex; and Engineering Services have been working together on a variety of initiatives. The working group has expanded to include representatives from Oaks and Spokes, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Shaw University, Raleigh Housing Authority, and Citrix Cycle.
Through several meetings and community outreach efforts, South Street was identified as a potential route due to its redevelopment opportunities and existing right-of-way conditions. Longer term, staff noted that improvements to Western Boulevard and Martin Luther King Boulevard as part of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project could also provide another, more direct, connection between Dix Park and Chavis Park.
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