AGENDA #5b

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:      Work of Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner

DATE:            April 24, 2006

This memorandum responds to a Council question on April 5, 2006 about the work of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner. Several Council members asked what tasks this position has undertaken and what benefit the Town has received from these activities.

BACKGROUND

Several years ago the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization proposed using Surface Transportation Program Direct Allocation funds to hire a bicycle and pedestrian planner to undertake regional initiatives.  Direct allocation funding was proposed to be combined with City of Durham funds to allow 50 percent of the position to conduct regional activities and the remainder to be used for specific City of Durham projects. The Metropolitan Planning Organization has allocated $28,000 towards the bicycle and pedestrian planner.

DISCUSSION

When the Metropolitan Planning Organization proposed the partial funding for the regional bicycle and pedestrian planner the Transportation Advisory Committee directed that the portion of the position funded from regional funds should focus on projects with regional significance or those that were multi-jurisdictional in nature. Over the past year the regional bicycle and pedestrian planner has administered several regional projects that have directly benefited Chapel Hill.

The regional planner has managed the annual allocation of funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements from the Urban Area Surface Transportation Program Direct Allocation program. The planner has coordinated the inclusion of these projects in the State Transportation Improvement Program. Chapel Hill has received funding from the Direct Allocation program for several sidewalk and greenway projects. The planner has also administered the recently completed Old Durham-Chapel Hill Road Pedestrian and Bicycle Feasibility Study, which included recommendations for constructing bicycle and pedestrian facilities along the portion in Chapel Hill from US 15-501 to I-40. The planner is now working with Metropolitan Planning Organization staff to identify possible federal and State funding sources to complete the project.

The planner is coordinating with local jurisdiction on possible Walkable Communities workshops scheduled for next fall. We expect that one of the workshops will be held in Chapel Hill.

We will continue to identify opportunities for additional collaboration with the regional planner on bicycle and pedestrian issues specific to Chapel Hill.