Welcome to Raleigh

[Tayfromcarolina]

This question has been bugging me for a minute so I figure I ask UP Forum runners what you think.

I think it would be a good idea for the City to install attractive "Welcome to Raleigh" Signs. There is one on New Bern I believe but it's wood and is old and busted. These new sleek signs would look simaler to the welcome signs at the Airport or at a business Park Maybe glass with the city seal beside it and they would be lit up at night.. Or maybe a RTP logo if the cities and and towns ever get together and design one. I know that the signs are mostlly a small town thing, but maybe Raleigh could break the mold and place some around the city.

Highways they would be installed would be on Hwy 70 (Glenwood) @ Brier Creek. US 1(Capital Blvd)@ Durant, 401/US 1 at Tryon, 64 at Rogers Ln. And other main US Highways like Hwy 50. etc...

[paletexan]

This question has been bugging me for a minute so I figure I ask UP Forum runners what you think.

I think it would be a good idea for the City to install attractive "Welcome to Raleigh" Signs. There is one on New Bern I believe but it's wood and is old and busted. These new sleek signs would look simaler to the welcome signs at the Airport or at a business Park Maybe glass with the city seal beside it and they would be lit up at night.. Or maybe a RTP logo if the cities and and towns ever get together and design one. I know that the signs are mostlly a small town thing, but maybe Raleigh could break the mold and place some around the city.

Highways they would be installed would be on Hwy 70 (Glenwood) @ Brier Creek. US 1(Capital Blvd)@ Durant, 401/US 1 at Tryon, 64 at Rogers Ln. And other main US Highways like Hwy 50. etc...

I voted no. Raleigh exists as part of a region, i think playing that identity up is better for everyone. Signs like these act as dividers between Raleigh and other towns. Besides, Raleigh is not Charlotte where they're desparate for any kind of branding and attention. ( i can say that since I've lived in Charlotte most of my life ).

On that note, there is a Welcome to Raleigh sign when you exit off I-40 at Chapel Hill road in W. Raleigh. It's a really nice sign and says "Welcome to Raleigh", "Established in 1796" (or whatever year, I cant recall).

[urbanesq]

I voted no; I just don't see that this would add anything useful to the City's image. Not that such signs would cost much, but it would be a better use of funds (installation and maintenance, etc.), I think, to add to the public art projects in downtown. A strong, beautiful and vibrant downtown would be more welcoming and brand-building than signs identifying that the traveler is now within the city limits-- which are miles and miles from the heart of town.

[Damien]

I vote no as well. But, I think it would be a good idea to construct some sleek modern signs on certain thoroughfares on the edge of downtown saying "Welcome to downtown Raleigh"

[jumboman]

i voted no, it wouldnt really make too much sense putting up these signs, especially since Raleigh is growing so fast - they'd have to keep moving the signs further out. but now that i think about it, when i'm on roadtrips and we're tryin to get to a certain city, it is nice to know when you get there, but these signs would just about be where the wake county signs are

[Raleighsfinest]

I vote yes. There is no reason why Raleigh shouldn't promote itself like Charlotte. Their 20 years ahead. Literally! Beside those old wooden Welcome to Raleigh signs are becoming eyesores. Also, Raleigh "is" a separate city, that can have as much pride as it want's. Who cares how a city promotes, it's only for the better.

[dmccall]

We could add a digital sign underneath to display the latest honor for the city. Stuff is coming at such a rapid rate, it has to be immediately changable.

[Subway Scoundrel]

I vote yes. There is no reason why Raleigh shouldn't promote itself like Charlotte. Their 20 years ahead. Literally! Beside those old wooden Welcome to Raleigh signs are becoming eyesores. Also, Raleigh "is" a separate city, that can have as much pride as it want's. Who cares how a city promotes, it's only for the better.

Ok I could get in trouble for this but they are 20 years ahead ????.............maybe at self-promotion and patting themselves on the back............

[MR-2]

Just for kicks, I'd let them put up welcome to Raleigh signs facing into the beltline from North Raleigh. I don't think the North Raleigh residents would appreciate it very much, but it could wind up being a timeless piece of social commentary for visitors.

[urbanesq]

Just for kicks, I'd let them put up welcome to Raleigh signs facing into the beltline from North Raleigh. I don't think the North Raleigh residents would appreciate it very much, but it could wind up being a timeless piece of social commentary for visitors.

hilarious

[Raleighsfinest]

Just for kicks, I'd let them put up welcome to Raleigh signs facing into the beltline from North Raleigh. I don't think the North Raleigh residents would appreciate it very much, but it could wind up being a timeless piece of social commentary for visitors.

Lol! You've got a point,ie North Raleigh News!

[pack-man]

It seems like N. Raleigh is becoming its own city with a downtown located at N. Hills..??

[NcSc74]

Just for kicks, I'd let them put up welcome to Raleigh signs facing into the beltline from North Raleigh. I don't think the North Raleigh residents would appreciate it very much, but it could wind up being a timeless piece of social commentary for visitors.

I know this is going to sound stupid from a seperated NC resident but is North Raleigh incorporated our is it just a large section of the city.

[MR-2]

I know this is going to sound stupid from a seperated NC resident but is North Raleigh incorporated our is it just a large section of the city.

It's part of Raleigh. Rapid annexation and suburban development are the primary reasons for Raleigh's growth. The atmosphere between northern Raleigh (outside the beltline) and central Raleigh (inside) is completely different. Inside the loop it's obviously more urban, and more progressive generally about redevelopment. (I'm not speaking for everyone; we have all types in North Raleigh. Heck I used to live there.) Outside the loop, one tends to encounter attitudes either very in support of sprawl, or very anti-development of any kind. There are people that move to a nice little rural setting at the farthest edge of Raleigh, and move again after their section becomes choked by suburban development, pulling the city continually further out.

So the comment about insinuating North Raleigh as being not part of Raleigh proper kinda refers to that.

[JDC]

It seems like N. Raleigh is becoming its own city with a downtown located at N. Hills..??

Ha! North Hills a downtown! Good stuff. More like, North Raleigh is becoming its own traffic nightmare with a central outdoor shopping mall located at North Hills.

[dmccall]

Ha! North Hills a downtown! Good stuff. More like, North Raleigh is becoming its own traffic nightmare with a central outdoor shopping mall located at North Hills.

A shopping mall with a theater, tons of good restaurants, the hq of a bank, affordable apartments, new high rise buildings going in, and much retail space. Sounds exactly like what we are trying to do in downtown Raleigh, Wilmington, Durham, Winston Salem, Richmond, Charlotte, etc. Right?

[ncwebguy]

The "welcome to Raleigh" signs I know of (or am making up) are:

- New Bern just east/outside 440

- inbound New Bern just before the Edenton street shift

- Glenwood/US 70 just west of Pleasant Valley

- 54 just east of I 40 (may not be there, may just be a "Raleigh city limits" sign)

- US 70/401 just south of the Wilmington Street split (may be another city limits sign)

Some "welcome to community x" signs include:

- Boyland Heights (kinda hidden, off to the left, south of the bridge)

- South Park (on Person, near Bragg St.)

- Glenwood-Brooklyn (on Glenwood north of Peace)

- Historic Oakwood (at several entry points)

- Mordecai (on Wake Forest/Person, north of the convenience store)

- countless subdivision monikers

- various community watch signs (not too particularly welcoming)

The city has some beautification grant thing where they'll provide money for communities who want to make a sign for their community.

There are a lot more entry points, but all of these are somewhat "outdated" as the city stretches

out furter from each of these points. And yes, the wood signs have seen better days. There are too many "entry points" to make anything more than city limit signs easy to maintain.

I do think there needs to be a "welcome to downtown raleigh" signs/banners posted 1) on capital just north of the comfort inn 2) on hillsborough street somewhere between glenwood and st. marys 3) on the bend as South Saunders curves into McDowell 4) somewhere on Edenton near Oakwood Cafe/Biscuit Station.

[MR-2]

A shopping mall with a theater, tons of good restaurants, the hq of a bank, affordable apartments, new high rise buildings going in, and much retail space. Sounds exactly like what we are trying to do in downtown Raleigh, Wilmington, Durham, Winston Salem, Richmond, Charlotte, etc. Right?

Asheville...

It isn't really central and it still has suburban characteristics for a downtown. It's a big parking lot with buildings, instead of city blocks with shops. North Hills doesn't circulate with surrounding areas. You have to use highways to navigate to it.

Perhaps I'm completely wrong though.

[pack-man]

I do like how Raleigh is leaving the old signs from when they did this project a long time ago. It really shows you how much the city has grown. A great example is the one on New Bern coming into town.