AGENDA #5d
|
to: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
|
from: |
J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director David Bonk, Long Range Planning and Transportation Coordinator |
|
subject: |
Status of Timberlyne Community Mobility Recommendations |
|
date: |
May 7, 2007 |
This memorandum responds to the petition received at the February 26, 2007 Public Forum from Timberlyne Community residents requesting neighborhood mobility improvements (Attachment 1).
In 2003, the Town received a $200,000 grant for five years from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to promote active living through programming and physical design. The grant proposal included the preparation of a mobility assessment for the Timberlyne Community, and proposed that the project undertake a comprehensive mobility program for the Timberlyne Community. The project worked with local community leaders and residents to evaluate mobility issues. This evaluation included a resident assessment of barriers to increased pedestrian, bicycle and transit use, and developed a program of improvements (Attachment 2).
On February 26, 2007, a Community Forum was held in Timberlyne receiving citizen comments on the results of the assessments and survey. Town staff received comments and answered questions. Residents developed recommendations for the Council resulting from the forum discussion.
On March 8, 2007, Timberlyne residents presented recommendations to the Town Active Living by Design Advisory Committee for comment. The committee endorsed the recommendations (Attachment 3).
On April 23, 2007, the Timberlyne Residents presented a petition to the Town Council with recommendations based upon the information from the National Walkable Workshop, and from results of the Mobility Assessment, the Activity Survey and the Timberlyne Community Forum.
The Active Living by Design staff is working with Engineering and Planning, to review the Timberlyne Residents’ recommendations for implementation. The petition requested the following:
1) Direct the appropriate Town departments to:
ˇ Stripe Bike Lanes on both sides of Kingston Drive, between Weaver Dairy Road and Silver Cedar;
ˇ Install a Speed Limit Sign on Kingston Drive closer to Weaver Dairy Road;
ˇ Complete the Sidewalk on Kingston Drive between Silver Cedar and the daycare;
ˇ Collaborate with the Timberlyne residents to identify options for improvements to the informal paths between the Kingston Drive/Weaver Dairy Road intersection and Chapel Hill North, as well as other major connectivity paths; and
ˇ Collaborate with the Timberlyne residents to create a traffic-calming plan at the locations identified on the Timberlyne Capital Improvements Program Request.
Comment: In combination with recommendations received from National Walkable Workshop Consultant and the Timberlyne Residents, Engineering and Planning staff have initiated the installation of crosswalks, center striping, and bike lanes within the Timberlyne Community (Attachment 4).
2) Allocate Funding in the 2007/2008 budget to:
ˇ Install lighting (preferably with 10’ to 12’ poles) at:
- Butternut, between Kingston and the end of the road after Pitch Pine.
- Timberlyne Road between Kingston and Weaver Dairy Road (particularly at the school bus stop at the intersection with Timberlyne Court).
- Westminster Drive
ˇ Install traffic calming as identified on the Timberlyne Capital Improvements Program Request.
ˇ Implement improvements to the informal paths in the neighborhood.
Comment: Town staff will continue to evaluate the feasibility of implementing the proposed improvements. Planning and Engineering staff are conducting a lighting assessment. Timberlyne Community representatives are working with Engineering on determining the need for traffic calming improvements, such as speed tables. Town staff will assess the feasibility of informal path improvements.
3) Insure that needed changes to NC 86 and Weaver Dairy Road (state roads), to connect the neighborhood to adjacent commercial establishments, recreational facilities, and public transit, are reflected in the NC 86 Corridor Study and the Northwest Chapel Hill Development task force review. Requests include pedestrian crossings at the following intersections:
- Weaver Dairy Road and Banks Drive (or Perkins Drive)
- Weaver Dairy Road and Timberlyne Road (to link to the bus stop)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Westminster
- Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Blossom
Comment: These comments will be provided to the recently created Northern Task Force for its consideration.
After reviewing the recommendations resulting from the National Pedestrian Workshop and the Timberlyne Community, the Town staff will begin striping the following areas:
Crosswalks
Bikes lanes will be added on both sides on:
Center Line Striping to be added to the following streets to separate traffic lanes:
The sidewalk segment that is incomplete on Kingston Drive was required to be completed as part of The Estates, known now as 82 Magnolia, original special use permit for the apartment/condominium units, as a condition of the approval. The Town Planning staff discovered this segment had not been constructed and is working with the Inspections Department. The Town Inspections Department reviewed the original permit and has contacted the Estate Company, owner of 82 Magnolia, about completing the missing segment.
Town staff are continuing to work with residents in the Timberlyne Community reviewing the recommendations for implementation feasibility, and will also refer the petition to the Northern Area Task Force. Attachment 4 shows where current improvements are being implemented in the community.
