AGENDA #10
MEMORANDUM
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director |
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David Bonk, Long Range and Transportation Coordinator |
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SUBJECT: |
Sidewalk Construction Plan for 2006-2007 |
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DATE: |
January 22, 2007 |
PURPOSE
Adoption of the attached resolution would authorize a sidewalk construction plan for fiscal year 2006-2007. Adoption of the separate attached resolution would seek agreement from the Orange County Board of Commissioners to facilitate construction of a sidewalk on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (NC 86) within the Town’s Joint Planning Transition Area.
SUMMARY
This memorandum proposes an annual sidewalk construction plan for 2006-2007. Approximately $ 720,000 of the 2003 sidewalks and streets bond funds is available for sidewalk construction projects this fiscal year.
We recommend as part of the upcoming 2007-2008 budget process that the Council consider allocating funds between $50,000 and $100,000 from the 2007-2008 Community Development Program toward the construction of sidewalks in the Northside Neighborhood.
We recommend for the 2006-2007 Construction Plan that the Council allocate funds to work on the following list of sidewalk projects as funds allow. All the projects recommended score 19 or more points according to the Town Sidewalk Ranking System. The projects at North Street and Hillsborough Street are carried over from the 2005-2006 Construction Plan. The Town’s adopted Pedestrian Facilities Plan and project location maps are attached to the memorandum:
We also recommend that the Town Manager be authorized to seek Transportation Direct Allocation funds through the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC-MPO) when available for street improvements on any State-maintained street including but not limited to the following projects:
KEY ISSUES
On October 9, 2006, the Council held a public forum to receive citizen input for the preparation of a 2006-2007 Sidewalks Construction Plan (Attachment 1). The following key issues were raised:
Northside Neighborhood: At the public forum, two citizens spoke in opposition to constructing sidewalks on N. Graham Street as part of the proposed Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Please see the separate agenda item concerning the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan in which staff recommends the inclusion of a sidewalk on N. Graham Street. In anticipation that the Council would endorse the recommendations of the Northside Plan we have applied the Town’s adopted sidewalk ranking system (Attachment 2) to the sidewalks recommended in that plan and have included all those which score 20 or more points in our recommended 2006-2007 Construction Plan. Attachment 3 is the Sidewalks Request Master List. The Request Master List shows all projects historically identified by staff and by citizen requests and ranks them according to the sidewalk ranking system.
Gimghoul Neighborhood: At the public forum, a citizen spoke in favor of a petition (Attachment 4) to provide brick sidewalks on both sides of Gimghoul Road (Map 3). The citizen showed images of the existing street, focusing on the conditions of the area which lay between property front boundary walls and the street curb. The citizen identified locations where tree roots impeded pedestrian use of these areas and referred to drainage difficulties at the intersection of Glandon Drive and Gimghoul Road. The citizen believed that these areas should be considered as worn paths not existing sidewalks. The Council directed staff to investigate the existing street conditions and report back with cost estimates for providing brick sidewalks with any associated costs for infrastructure improvements.
Comment: Staff has met with neighborhood representatives and conducted an extensive field survey. On the south side of Gimghoul road there are 13 residential lots. In the area, which lies between the curb edge and the property front boundary walls most sections are constructed of Chapel Hill gravel, some are edged by grass, two lots have been paved with brick and two more lots have brick driveways. The section outside the former church property has a concrete sidewalk. The first section between Country Club Road and Glandon Drive is raised and buckled by tree roots. Tree roots also impact other sections along the street. On the north side of the road there are 11 residential lots. From front boundary walls to the curb edge nine of these lots have a mixture of Chapel Hill gravel and or grass; one lot is brick paved.
We estimate that constructing a brick sidewalk on the south side of the street would cost approximately $127,000. This includes approximately $4,000 for a new manhole and catch basin to improve the drainage at the intersection of Glandon Drive and Gimghoul Road. We estimate the same treatment for the north side of the street would cost approximately $115,000.
For our preliminary recommendations for a 2006-2007 construction plan, the Gimghoul Road sidewalk requests were scored on the Town’s sidewalk ranking system (Attachment 2) as if there were existing sidewalks on Gimghoul Road which resulted in a score of 12 points. If the Council considers that there is already some kind of pedestrian facility which is less than a sidewalk but more than a worn path, where the roadway is not the only option, each project score would rise to 18 points. If the Council agrees with the petitioners’ contention that the areas between the curb and property front boundary walls should be considered as worn paths, the score for each project would rise to 22 points. If the Council decides to include either or both of the requested sidewalks in the 2006-2007 Construction Plan, it may wish to omit other projects from the Plan.
If the Council decides not to include Gimghoul Road in the 2006-2007 Construction Plan, we believe the Gimghoul Road neighborhood has two additional options that could be pursued to acquire a paved sidewalk:
• The neighborhood could amend its existing petition to ask the Town to construct the facilities as a sidewalk assessment project. If the petition is accepted by the Council, the Town would undertake the construction and charge the stated portion of the costs to the benefited properties. Provisions can be included for the payment of the assessments over a number of years.
• The neighborhood could prepare construction plans, obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic District Commission to construct brick sidewalks, and obtain an engineering construction permit from the Town to undertake alterations within the street right-of-way. An engineering construction permit requires an inspection fee of $4.15 per linear foot of construction. The neighborhood could then engage a contactor to construct the sidewalks at its own expense.
Ephesus Church Road: At the public forum, a citizen requested the provision of a sidewalk on Ephesus Church Road from Colony Woods Drive to Pope Road. This would connect to sidewalks on Ephesus Church Road which were constructed with the new Creekside Elementary School.
Comment: Ephesus Church Road is a State-maintained street. This 1,600-foot section of the sidewalk is identified on the sidewalk request master list with a score of 20 points. The original evaluation was made before the Creekside Elementary School was constructed. In accordance with the Town ranking system we have added five points to the project (total 25 points) to acknowledge it is now located within a quarter mile of a school. We recommend that this project be identified as one to seek Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Direct Allocation funds when available.
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard: At the public forum, a citizen requested the provision of a sidewalk from Timber Hollow Court to Homestead Road.
Comment: The Town has been allocated $200,000 of Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Direct Allocation funds to construct sidewalks and associated improvements on the east side of the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Timber Hollow Court and Homestead Road, and has allocated a $50,000 local match requirement from the 2003 streets and sidewalks bond funds. In 2006, the Town commissioned an implementation plan for pedestrian improvements to the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard corridor. A report to the Council on this plan is expected on February 26, 2006. After Council review and approval of the Implementation Plan, we will begin implementing improvements along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. We also anticipate requesting additional funds from the Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Direct Allocation Program for those improvements.
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard: At the public forum, a Council member requested information on how the Council could facilitate the construction of a sidewalk on NC 86/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Weaver Dairy Road to Northwood Drive. On October 18, 2006, four citizens spoke in favor of improved pedestrian facilities to connect the Northwood neighborhood on the west side of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the Chapel Hill North shopping center, located on the opposite side of the street. The comments included a request for sidewalks from Weaver Dairy Road to Perkins Drive on the west side of the street (Attachment 4).
Comment: Weaver Dairy Road is a State-maintained street and the Northwood neighborhood is outside the Town limits but within the Town’s Joint Planning Transition Area. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted Session Laws (Chapter 936) in 1986 which enables the Town with the approval of the Orange County Board of Commissioners to construct capital improvements outside the Town limits, but within the Town’s Joint Planning Transition Area, and to cooperate with the State in the construction of capital improvements to the State highway system streets within this area as well as within the Town itself. We recommend that the Council seek approval from the Orange County Board of Commissioners to construct this sidewalk and that the Council seek Metropolitan Planning Organization State Transportation Direct Allocation funds for this project when available. We have included a separate resolution to seek approval from the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Earlier this month we sent a request to the Division Seven Highways Manager of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The request is to consider this project for North Carolina Department of Transportation small project funds.
Homestead Road: At the public forum, a citizen requested the completion of a missing gap between the existing sidewalk from the Southern Human Services Center and the adjoining women’s shelter.
Comment: Construction of this section of sidewalk was required as a stipulation to the Special Use Permit for the Orange Senior Center and should be constructed later this year. Improved facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians on Homestead Road from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to High School Road is listed as number six on the 2007-2013 Chapel Hill Transportation Priority List adopted April 5, 2005 but is not funded in the current State Transportation Improvement Program. We shall continue to seek incremental improvements to facilities as opportunities arise. We recommend that the Town seek Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Direct Allocation funds when available to connect the existing sidewalk from the Senior Center to the existing sidewalk on Weaver Dairy Road extension. This is a distance of approximately 700 feet.
North Street: The 2005-2006 Sidewalk Construction Plan includes the construction of a sidewalk on North Street from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Henderson Street. At the October 9, 2006, public forum the staff advised the Council that detailed design for this project had resulted in significantly higher cost estimates than originally anticipated and therefore requested additional direction from the Council.
Comment: As we reported in our preliminary recommendations on October 9, 2006, staff have investigated options for constructing a sidewalk on the south side of North Street or alternatively on the north side of the street.
The project length is approximately 800 feet. Constructing a sidewalk on the south side of the street would result in the removal of one, eight-inch cedar tree. We estimate that the cost of constructing a sidewalk on the south side of the street would be $235,000; approximately half of that cost would be for the construction of new retaining walls and the reconstruction of dilapidated rock walls, which are not built on a foundation. Constructing a sidewalk on the north side of the street would result in the removal of seven, 16 to 24-inch maple trees from approximately the mid-point of the street, east to Henderson Street. The locations of these trees and their prominent surface roots would require that these seven trees be removed. The design of the sidewalk would permit three other large trees on this side of the street to be retained. We estimate that the cost of constructing a sidewalk on the north side of the street would be $80,000.
Staff has held on-site discussions with a number of the property owners on North Street about these options and have notified and provided design plans to all property owners about these options. On November 8, 2006, staff held an information meeting for the property owners at Town Hall. Attachment 5 is the correspondence we have received on this project. Attendance was low at the information meeting and feedback on the options inconclusive; therefore, in January we mailed all property owners a survey. Property owners were asked to express a preference for a sidewalk on one side of the street or the other, for no sidewalk, for traffic calming in lieu of a sidewalk or to reconsider a project when the majority of the trees on the north side of the street have died.
There are 18 properties with frontage on North Street. By the survey return deadline, eight completed surveys had been returned and one letter received from the owner of two properties. The preferences received are as follows:
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Options |
First Choice |
Second Choice |
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a sidewalk on the south side of the street |
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a sidewalk on the north side of the street |
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no sidewalk on either side of the street |
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request to consider traffic calming such as speed humps in-lieu of a sidewalk |
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postpone any decision for sidewalk construction until the declining trees on the north side of the street die. |
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One of the respondents in favor of constructing the sidewalk on the north side of the street requested replacement trees and another respondent’s support for constructing the sidewalk on the north side of the street was dependent on retaining a tree at 131 North Street.
We recommend constructing the sidewalk on the north side of the street. In exploring options for construction, the Town’s urban forester was consulted about tree health and the impact of construction on existing trees. The arborist undertook a condition survey and advises that the maple trees located in the right-of-way are in varying stages of declining health. He advises that four of the seven trees have notable cavities and will likely need to be removed within the next five years and the remaining three trees also show signs of significant decline and are unlikely to survive more than about 10 years.
We believe that the associated work to reconstruct the rock walls on the south side of the street exceeds the scope of a sidewalk construction project and becomes an environmental improvement project. We recommend that the Council either approve construction of a sidewalk on the north side of the street or postpone any project until the majority of the trees on the north side of the street have died and been removed. If the latter, we recommend that the Town Engineer provide a follow-up report to the Council outlining options for traffic calming in lieu of a sidewalk.
Cleland Drive: On November 28, 2006, we received a request from the Oaks I Homeowners Association (Attachment 6) for a sidewalk on Cleland Drive from Burning Tree Drive to US 15-501 and Burning Tree Drive to Pinehurst Drive.
Comment: Cleland Drive is included on the Sidewalks Request Master List and scores 16 points. From Pinehurst Drive to US 15-501 is approximately 1.5 miles. The road section is wide which may contribute to traffic speeds. We recommend that the sidewalks staff workgroup investigate the opportunities and constraints for a sidewalk in this location and report back to the Council later in the year with options and preliminary cost estimates.
S. Lakeshore Drive: In November 2006, a citizen contacted the staff requesting the construction of a sidewalk on S. Lakeshore Drive from Ridgecrest Drive to its intersection with Curtis Road. This sidewalk is a new request not currently on the Request Master List. The citizen lives within school walk zones to Estes Elementary School and Phillips Middle School which is being promoted as Active Routes to School by the Town’s Active Living by Design project. A preliminary investigation indicates there would be significant difficulties in constructing a sidewalk along parts of S. Lakeshore Drive. We recommend that the sidewalks staff workgroup investigate the opportunities and constraints for a sidewalk in this location and report back to the Council later in the year with options and preliminary cost estimates.
2006-2007 CONSTRUCTION PLAN
Approximately $720,000 of the 2003 sidewalks and streets bond funds is available for an annual sidewalk construction plan for 2006-2007.
On January 31, 2007, the Council will hold a public forum to begin preparing its annual Community Development and Home Program. We recommend the Council consider allocating funds between $50,000 and $100,000 from the 2007-2008 Community Development Program toward the construction of sidewalks in the Northside Neighborhood.
There are two outstanding sidewalk projects that are unfunded from the approved 2006-2007 Construction Plan. These are at North Street, with a cost estimate of $80,000 or $235,000 (see key issues discussion) and Hillsborough Street with a cost estimate of $82,000. Both of these projects are designed and ready to be put out to contract for construction.
On October 9, 2006, we presented a list of preliminary project recommendations (Attachment 1). As Council members raised concerns about the feasibility of building sidewalks adjacent to the gravel road at Hamilton Road and of the likelihood that users of the Rainbow Soccer fields would park on sidewalks if constructed, we have omitted projects for Hamilton Road from Cleland Drive to Flemington Road and Flemington Road from Hamilton Road to Hayes Road from our recommended plan for 2006-2007.
During 2005, the Town constructed or initiated the construction of the technically easiest sidewalks on the Town’s sidewalk priority list. We advised that for the 2006-2007 Construction Plan, the Council would need to decide whether it wants to spend Town funds on sidewalks located on more technically difficult and therefore expensive locations, on State-maintained streets that are more highly used by pedestrians or on local neighborhood streets where use is more limited.
For the 2006-2007 Construction Plan, we recommend that the Council direct that the staff select projects from the following list of sidewalk projects as funds allow. The total cost of possible projects exceeds the funds available; this is our normal practice and is intended to allow staff flexibility in moving forward with the construction of alternate projects if constraints occur on any particular project. A cost estimate range of between $30 and $50 per linear foot has been used to estimate anticipated construction costs unless more detailed cost estimates have been prepared. Contracted prices for materials and labor have increased over the last year. Over the past year prices for sidewalk construction have been approximately $25 per linear foot for concrete sidewalk, $75 per linear foot for brick sidewalk and $25-$40 per linear foot to construct curb and gutter. For projects that may involve road narrowing we can expect to add $15-$30 per linear foot to saw cut and remove existing curb and gutter, sidewalk and asphalt.
Thirty to fifty dollars per linear foot results in a total cost range for a 2006-2007 Construction Plan of between $553,000 and $812,000. In addition, we would hold $50,000 aside to provide local match funds for any Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Direct Allocation funds which may become available after October 2007.
Set out below are the details of the recommended projects for the 2006-2007 Construction Plan. Project location maps are attached to the memorandum. All sidewalks are proposed to be constructed with concrete except for North Street which would be constructed with brick:
Comment: Carry over from 2005-2006 Construction Plan. Provides well-used link to Franklin Street and campus. North Street is partially located in the Franklin-Rosemary Historic District.
Comment: Carry over from 2005-2006 Construction Plan.
Comment: Included in the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Included in the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Included in the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Included in the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Included in the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Included in the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Included in the Northside Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
Comment: Identified by Ephesus Safe Routes to School Group Request 2005.
Comment: Links Northside Neighborhood to Umstead Drive and served by transit route. Challenging topography, but sidewalk can be constructed by narrowing the road section.
Comment: Currently low pedestrian usage but providing a sidewalk would provide a facility linking neighborhoods off Old Durham Chapel Hill Road to Eastowne Office Park.
Comment: Provides alternate access for pedestrians from E. Franklin Street to the Community Center.
Comment: Provide enhanced access for pedestrians in neighborhood to transit route.
Comment: Provide enhanced access for pedestrians in neighborhood to transit route.
ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Chapel Hill Active Living by Design Partnership Advisory Committee, and the Transportation Board were consulted on our preliminary recommendations for a 2006-2007 Construction Plan.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board: On October 24, 2006, the Board endorsed the Planning Director’s preliminary recommendation for a Construction Plan. The Board suggested for sidewalk construction along Honeysuckle Road and Sedgefield Road that the staff consider constructing the sidewalk to narrow the street instead of constructing the sidewalk behind the existing curb. The Board believes the streets are wide and this design would possibly have a traffic calming effect; also it would not require additional impervious surface (Attachment 7).
Comment: Staff will investigate this suggestion as it prepares designs. There would be additional cost associated with saw cutting and breaking out existing pavement. A sidewalk with a turn down curb can be poured over and envelopes an existing curb and gutter. The cost is estimated at $70 per linear feet. This retrofit design does not provide a buffer strip. Narrowing the street by breaking out and casting a new curb and gutter with buffer and sidewalk would cost approximately $95 per linear foot.
Chapel Hill Active Living by Design Partnership Advisory Committee Recommendation: On November 9, 2006, the Committee voted unanimously to approve the preliminary construction plan (Attachment 8) with the following comments:
Comment: With respect to the Honeysuckle Road and Shady Lawn Road recommendation, see the comment above to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board.
The recommended resolution includes provision to seek Metropolitan Planning Organization State Transportation Direct Allocation funds when available for a number of projects including Ephesus Church Road. In addition, the Town consistently pursues major capital improvements to State-maintained Streets through the State Transportation Improvement Program. The Town’s adopted Transportation Improvement Priority List identifies all State roads for bicycle and pedestrian improvements.
A speed table at North Columbia Street is planned as part of a package of measures prepared by the Engineering Department to improve pedestrian travel around Town Hall. The Council received a separate report on this matter June 27, 2005.
Transportation Board Recommendation: On October 26, 2006, the Transportation Board recommended that the Council approve the preliminary Plan as presented (Attachment 9).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation: We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution for a 2006-2007 Construction Plan and seek Metropolitan Planning Organization Surface Transportation Direct Allocation funds or other State funding when available. We also recommend that the Council adopt the separate attached resolution to seek agreement from the Orange County Board of Commissioners to facilitate construction of a sidewalk on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard within the Town’s Joint Planning Transition Area. We also recommend as part of the upcoming annual budget process that the Council consider allocating funds between $50,000 and $100,000 from the 2007-2008 Community Development Program toward the construction of sidewalks in the Northside Neighborhood.
MAPS
