Corridor Project

Present:

Williamson Road is the Valley's Main Street. Once a major thoroughfare for travelers through Roanoke, this busy retail street is still a major entrance to the Star City. Today, Williamson Road links rapidly expanding commercial centers along Hershberger Road with the new excitement of downtown Roanoke. A tradition of convenient location, good value, and efficient and friendly service provides the building blocks for a new Williamson Road and the Williamson Road community. The Williamson Road Area Business Association and the Williamson Road Action Forum have become a partner with the City of Roanoke to begin building a new vision for the Valley's Main Street.

Past:

In 1908, the urgent need for a road led local citizens to find a way to build the road themselves. The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors agreed to grant a right of way and supply two workers, a team of mules, and a road scraper if residents would provide land, money, a team of horses, and a driver. The road when once built, prospered with residences, restaurants, tourist homes, and stores.

When the coming of I-581 directed travelers from the road and reduced the need for motels and businesses which served them, the road had a change in fortunes. The construction of SearsTown in the 1950's also signaled a change in business direction for the area. Gradually, residential uses began to disappear and a variety of small, and not always desirable, uses sprung up in their place.

While retail stores, offices, bakeries, banks, schools, libraries, churches, restaurants, and more continued to provide some of the friendliest service in town, the Williamson Road Business Community was not living up to its full potential. In 1980, the Williamson Road Action Forum was created to give voice to the concerned citizens of the area, and it was through their efforts that the undesirable elements were sent to do business elsewhere.

Today, WRABA is faced with a different challenge, and once again it will take a unified effort to bring about the necessary change. Today's challenge is marked by the need for improved building facades, the elimination of overhead utility lines, rezoning of certain areas to attract outside businesses, and the construction of strategic gateways to improve our appearance and accommodate increased traffic.