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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
George Small, P.E., Engineering Director |
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Kumar Neppalli, Town Traffic Engineer |
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SUBJECT: |
Response to a Petition Requesting Bicycle and Parking Overlay Zones on Several Streets in the Meadowmont Area |
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DATE: |
November 20, 2006 |
This report responds to a petition from residents and homeowners’ associations requesting that on-street parking be permitted that would overlay the existing bike lanes during night hours on the following streets:
We do not recommend that night-time parking be allowed to overlay the existing bike lanes on Meadowmont Lane, West Barbee Chapel Road, and/or Sprunt Street as requested. The existing pavement width on these streets is insufficient to allow on-street parking and striped bike lanes to function concurrently and independently.
If the Town Council advises us that it wishes to allow on-street parking to overlay existing bike lanes during night hours as requested by the petitioners, we would return at the next regular Council meeting with a resolution and the necessary ordinance revisions for the Council’s consideration to implement those changes.
At its May 22, 2006 meeting, the Town Council received and referred a petition from residents and homeowners’ associations in the Meadowmont development requesting that on-street parking be permitted that would overlay the existing bike lanes during night hours on the following streets:
A copy of the petition is provided in Attachment 1. Please see Attachment 2 for an area map showing the existing bicycle lanes. The Council referred the petition to Town staff, the Transportation Board, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board.
Meadowmont Lane is a collector street and the posted speed limit is 25 mph. Meadowmont Lane between the Rizzo Center entrance drive and Pine Bluff Trail is a two-lane road and the street is expected to extend into Durham at some point in the future.
West Barbee Chapel Hill Road is a three-lane collector street with a posted speed limit of 25 mph between Weaver Mine Trail and Raleigh Road.
Sprunt Street is a two-lane local street with a posted speed limit of 25 mph. A new traffic signal has been installed on Meadowmont Lane and Sprunt Street/Cedars Club Circle and is expected to be operational by the end of November.
Bicycle lanes were established on both sides of several streets in the Meadowmont area as part of the development plan approved in the 1990s.
We do not recommend that night-time parking be allowed to overlay the existing bike lanes on Meadowmont Lane, West Barbee Chapel Road, and/or Sprunt Street for the following reasons:
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Recommendation: The Board voted 8-0 opposing the changes requested in the petition. A copy of the Board’s action is provided in Attachment 4.
Transportation Board Recommendation: The Board voted 6-0 opposing changes requested in the petition. A copy of the Board’s action is provided in Attachment 5.
The existing striped bike lanes in the Meadowmont development comply with the Town Policy on Bike Facilities and they were established to encourage and facilitate cycling as an alternative mode of transportation throughout the development. We believe that adequate off-street parking is available to meet the normal parking needs of area residents.
We are currently working with the Meadowmont Association to identify and implement traffic calming measures on several streets, including Meadowmont Lane near the school. We plan to provide a traffic calming report early next year for the Council’s consideration.
