Fifth Avenue Streetscape

In September, 2009, the City of Ranson was awarded an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Grant through the West Virginia Department of Transportation for the construction of streetscape improvements on Fifth Avenue. The Fifth Avenue Extended Project will be an extension to a current West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDoH) project known as Charles Town Race Track Park Access Road, State Project U319-17-0.43 00, Federal Project STP 0017(074D).

Fifth Avenue is an urban street maintained by the WVDoH. It is one of the few gateways into downtown Ranson. Over three million people visit Charles Town Races annually. This is a golden opportunity to continue improvements from the Racetrack project to Mildred Street to welcome tourists and provide pedestrian access to the heart of our community. With the Fifth Avenue project going out to bid this Fall, the proposed extension could easily be a project administered by WVDoH.

Development Plans
The West Virginia Division of Highways has designed and is currently proceeding to construction of a new entrance into the Charles Town Races facility off Route 9 and road improvements at the gateway into downtown Ranson. This project eliminates the four-way intersection of Fifth Avenue with Flowing Springs Road by replacing it with a traffic circle helps add pedestrian improvements and street lighting, and provides a direct connection from Route 9 to Charles Town Races and downtown Ranson. Construction for this  is expected to start soon.

The Fifth Avenue Extended Project will continue these improvements between that new project area and Route 115 (Mildred Street) - Ranson's main street. This funding will be used to augment infrastructure and streetscape improvements for the approximate ½ mile area between Charles Town Races and Route 115 (Mildred Street).

Project Provisions
The proposed project will provide for the construction and installation of:
  • Sidewalks
  • Handicap ramps
  • Pedestrian access
  • Crossing improvements
  • Pavement striping
  • Street lighting
  • Landscaping
Beautification development will also take place to seamlessly tie into the existing sidewalks installed by the city along Route 115 as a result of a previously awarded TE Project S319-Ran/SO-1. 00, Fed Project TEA-OQ22(001)E.