AGENDA #4e

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:      Authorization to Execute Agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the Dry Creek Trail Project

DATE:            May 8, 2006

PURPOSE

The attached resolution would accept $64,000 in Direct Allocation funds from the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and authorize the Town Manager to sign an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for use of the funds for the Dry Creek Trail.

The attached budget ordinance would account for the grant in the project’s existing budget in the parks bond fund.

BACKGROUND

Since the early 1990s the Town has acquired more than 200 acres of property along Dry Creek. In addition, the Town has built about one mile of natural surface trails along the creek.

On January 9, 2006, the Council adopted the Chapel Hill Greenways Comprehensive Master Plan which recommends development of a Dry Creek Trail from Perry Creek Road to Providence Road in the Eastowne area.

DISCUSSION

Project Description: The Dry Creek Trail is proposed to be a 10-foot wide asphalt and/or concrete trail that would allow pedestrian and bicycle traffic to continue from Perry Creek Road in the Springcrest neighborhood to Providence Road in Eastowne. Smaller natural surface trails currently provide access west to East Chapel Hill High School and northwest into a portion of the Town’s open space property.

Funds from the NCDOT would be used for development of a concept plan followed by detailed planning, design work, and construction administration after completion of the concept plan.

Budget: The budget for design would be $80,000. The NCDOT Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has provided $64,000 for the project. The required $16,000 local match already is available in the Dry Creek Trail project bond account.

The NCDOT Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is scheduled to provide $560,000 for construction in FY 2007-08. The Town’s required match would be $140,000. We believe that the required match would come from 2003 Parks bonds designated for Greenways.

NEXT STEPS

If the Council accepts the grant we would select a design consultant to produce options for Council consideration. The design process would include a public process to receive input. Once the Council selects a preferred option we would continue detailed design on that option in preparation for bidding. Construction would likely occur in late 2008 or early 2009.

RECOMMENDATION

Manager’s Recommendation:  That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would accept $64,000 in Direct Allocation funds from the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the design of the Dry Creek Trail.

If the Council adopts the resolution the Council should also enact the attached budget ordinance which would account for the grant in the project’s existing budget in the parks bond fund.