Franklin Street is better than Hillsborough Street? Whether or not this is a touchy subject for N.C. State students due to this existing rivalry, the facts still rule over biased opinion.
Chapel Hill is a college town, whereas Raleigh is the capital of the North Carolina. Why is this relevant to the debatable topic here? Chapel Hill, being a college town, means everything revolves around the school and the main street through the school, which is Franklin Street, not the town of Chapel Hill itself.
Raleigh is a town that revolves around the state, not NCSU, so it tends to look at Hillsborough Street as a part of the city instead of part of the school.
We, as students, may not view it this way, but the city does. This affects the feel of the street.
Whereas Franklin Street has 50,000 people storming the street after a national championship win because people of the town gather there, Hillsborough Street would have only students coming out after such a win, not the entire town. This affects the atmosphere of the street.
Beyond the fact that everything revolves around Franklin Street and not Hillsborough Street, there are other factors here. Franklin Street has a better layout and higher quality buildings with better options of shops and bars.
Hillsborough Street has a congested layout, and if anyone thinks the new construction with “roundabouts” and medians are going to make things as good as Franklin Street, I personally beg to differ.
Traffic flow will improve and maybe a little friendlier with parking, but all in all it will still be a hassle to drive around Hillsborough Street for a night out.
The foot traffic will always be better on Franklin Street as well due to the fact previously mentioned, that the street is the core of the town.
There are gaps in Hillsborough were people just ignore because there is nothing there — Franklin Street is not like that. You also have the fraternity and sorority houses right on the street as opposed to Hillsborough Street, where they are located a few streets behind.
This adds to the college atmosphere, and makes for another reasons why Franklin Street is better then Hillsborough Street. As far as options for shops, bars and restaurants go, there is a much more eclectic selection on Franklin Street.
This is not to say the selection on Hillsborough Street is terrible, it certainly is not — however, Franklin appeals to a more varied people due to having more shops and bars. You will find art shops, comic book shops and new stores like Gamestop opening on the street.
Franklin Street is more appealing to the families of the town as well, not just the students versus Hillsborough Street, which is mostly student-based.
Lastly, I personally believe Franklin Street is the better street because of the tradition instilled in the street.
When I think of UNC-Chapel Hill, I think of Franklin Street, and when I think of NCSU, I think of the Brickyard and the Bell Tower.
Franklin Street is better, but for you UNC haters out there, it does not mean that NCSU is the worst of the two schools, just that NCSU’s tradition is found around things like the Bell Tower, instead of a street like in Chapel Hill.
