Big Branch Connector – Listen to the voices that are engaged.

A concerned citizen who wishes to be anonymous emailed Livable Raleigh about the proposals currently being considered for the Big Branch Greenway Connector.

With the Big Branch Greenway Connector project now making its way through the advisory committees and eventually to City Council later this fall, I want to take a moment to reflect—not just on tonight, but on the weeks, months, and even years we’ve all spent engaging on this issue. The more I’ve thought about it, the more I believe we’re not just debating data points or trail alignments. We’re wrestling with a deeper, more philosophical question. I’ve heard a lot of statistics and technical data from City staff and others, and it reminds me of a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein:

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

So what is that philosophical question? I believe it’s this: What kind of city is Raleigh? Is Raleigh a city where we listen to those engaged citizens, those that have voiced opposition or support, or are we a city that pushes through projects and process in the name of progress. I think that is the question we have to answer.

To me, this is not just about the Crabtree Heights neighborhood, or Anderson Forest, or any specific alignment. It’s about whether the City is willing to evaluate its projects through the lens of the people who live here—through the voices of residents who have spoken up, whether in support or in concern.

At the recent PRGAB (Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board) meeting on July 17th, the room was filled with neighbors from both Crabtree Heights and Anderson Forest. And while I’ve heard from City staff about the broad support for the greenway system—and specifically for Segment 1B—I didn’t see anyone at that meeting speaking in favor of the current alignment who wasn’t also opposing another option.

That matters.

So to the decision-makers who will ultimately weigh in on this project, I say this: Listen to the voices that are engaged. Listen to the people who’ve written, shown up, and spoken—not just the ones behind a screen clicking a survey anonymously. Because in the end, what kind of city Raleigh is will be reflected in how we choose to listen.

NOTE – Livable Raleigh has not taken a position on this project. We have previously published the opinions from two different neighborhood groups to keep you informed of the various options. What we do support is full public engagement by the city and proceeding based on the results of that engagement.

From Crabtree Heights Neighbors: The Streamside Option

From Anderson Forest Neighbors: Oppose All Options

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