Holloway Street, the two-mile spine of East Durham that carries more than 3,290 bus riders each week, is finally in line for a serious upgrade in sidewalks, shelters and safer crossings. For years, riders have waited beside bare poles or along worn gravel paths. Planners say those gaps have helped make the corridor feel neglected and unsafe, and this week residents get to weigh in on design boards that aim to stitch the street back together and speed up bus trips.
As reported by The News & Observer, the GoDurham Better Bus Project, backed by a $12 million federal grant and roughly $3 million in city funds, would remake the two-mile stretch between Elizabeth Street and Junction Road. The paper notes that Holloway carries more than 3,290 passengers a week and accounts for nearly a fifth of system ridership. Upgrades are planned for 32 bus stops and 33 intersections while filling in more than a mile of missing sidewalks.
What The Better Bus Plan Would Change
City design materials lay out a Phase 2 wish list that reads like a transit advocate’s dream: high-visibility crosswalks, improved lighting, upgraded Americans with Disabilities Act curb ramps, bus-priority signals and pavement markings, plus a new Village Transit Center near Wellons Village with restrooms, seating, digital information boards and multilingual signage, according to the City of Durham. The GoDurham FY2024 annual report also identifies Holloway as one of the system’s highest-ridership corridors and highlights the federal award that helped unlock design work, a signal of why the route is such a priority for local planners.
Hyped Up Street, Worried Neighbors
People who live and work along Holloway generally welcome the promise of safer walks and better bus shelters. At the same time, many are nervous that highly visible investment will help drive up property values and squeeze out longtime residents and small businesses. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg toured the corridor in July 2024 and urged officials to be intentional about how transportation spending interacts with housing and community stability, ABC11 reported.
Crash Stats And A Bus-Stop Killing
Safety is front and center in the pitch for changes. The Holloway stretch recorded three fatal crashes and 46 total crashes between 2017 and 2021, according to figures reported by The News & Observer. The corridor has also seen high-profile shootings near busy stops, including a 2024 bus-stop killing where charges surfaced this spring, a string of incidents that local coverage says keeps transit safety fixes high on planners’ to-do list.
How Neighbors Can Weigh In
The city has posted design boards and an interactive comment map where neighbors can review proposed sidewalk alignments and see detailed property impacts. Official materials state that no whole parcels will be acquired and that about 63 parcels would see only minor impacts, according to the City of Durham. Residents can also head to an open house on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Antioch Baptist Church, 1415 Holloway St., where planners will display drawings and answer questions in person.
