If things go according to plan, Hillsborough Street could have a new look by the end of 2008.

Members of the Raleigh City Council, business owners on Hillsborough and members of Kimley-Horn and Associates discussed these plans at the Hillsborough Street renovations public meeting Thursday.

Roger Henderson, from Kimley-Horn and Associates, said the plans that were available to those present, represented 65 percent of the plans. “We are 65 percent of the way there to give the constructor the finalized plans,” he said. Jeff Moore, project manager from the city council, reminded everyone that these plans have been in the making since October of 1999. “Eight years these plans have been in the making and last October we presented 25 percent of the plans for renovation for authorization,” Henderson said. “At first there was Plan A and Plan B, and the project was projected at $3 million dollars.”

“$3 million was not enough, so we asked the council which way to go, and in February the city council wanted Plan H3, which are the new plans that represent the 65 percent.” He said.

“The city council is now being asked to address and analyze the H3 plans, and by Oct. 2 we hope to go to the council with a public hearing and finalize the construction plans.”

Moore said Plan H3 stands for hybrid, “a merging of Plan A and Plan B,” with improvements including only three roundabouts versus four.

“Hillsborough will include 7-foot medians and 5-foot buffers, with parallel parking spaces, including about 100 additional parking places, are improvements with H3,” he said.

“There will be the same number of bus stops on Hillsborough including the Garner, Horne and Enterprise Street stops, but the council is debating on moving the Enterprise stop to the other side of the street.”

The decision regarding the bus stop on Enterprise will be decided in the new few weeks, Moore said.

“Pedestrians and bus access will be maintained throughout the project,” Moore assured.

The Oct. 2 meeting will be a very important one if the council approves the H3 plans and gives them the go, Tim Sudano, project engineer for the City of Raleigh, said.

“Construction is estimated now to be $4.7 million dollars including all the streetscape features which include street lights, benches, trash cans, and shrubbery,” Moore said.

“The public hearing on Oct. 2 will be important as to whether or not this project can get underway.”

If the plans are approved officially in October, then the construction plans will be awarded to the contractors in April of 2008, and construction should only take about eight months, Moore said.