CHARLOTTE — The Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association is incurring significant expenses due to cars repeatedly crashing into planters that separate car and bike lanes in the Plaza Midwood area.
The association, which currently maintains the barriers, is seeking to renegotiate its agreement with the city of Charlotte.
Approximately one-third of the planters have been destroyed by vehicles, creating ongoing repair costs.
These planters are installed to protect cyclists, runners, and walkers in Plaza Midwood.
The city of Charlotte initially purchased and maintained these barriers for one year before the neighborhood association assumed ownership and maintenance responsibilities, a transfer that is now proving costly due to frequent damage.
Max Walkup, a pedestrian who frequents the area, has observed the persistent issue.
“Yeah, I’ve seen people crash into the planters before. I’ve definitely seen them damaged like multiple times,” Walkup said.
Beyond the completely destroyed planters, others show visible signs of impact, including paint chips, scratches and dents.
Khiya Martin, another pedestrian who walks past the planters on her neighborhood route, emphasized the importance of cautious driving.
Martin stated, “People should be taking more precautions other than driving and not speeding.”
The Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association highlights the importance of the vertical barriers, noting that their presence encourages drivers to reduce speed and makes cyclists feel more comfortable riding.
The association told The Charlotte Observer that the terms of the current maintenance agreement require reevaluation given the recurring damage.
Martin believes that the city should share responsibility for the safety of its residents. “I feel like the city should also play a role in the safety because these are the residents of Charlotte,” Martin said.
Walkup reinforced this idea, suggesting that the initial installer should bear the maintenance burden.
Walkup commented, “If the neighborhood is like super clinging to the idea of having them there, then like maybe contribute. But I feel like whoever put them there should be responsible.”
Walkup also offered a perspective on the planters’ placement, adding, “I don’t think that’s the planters’ fault, but they’re kind of in the way, just a little bit.”
The Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association plans to engage in discussions with the city of Charlotte to reconsider the existing maintenance agreement for the lane-separating planters.
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
