AGENDA #4n
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TO: |
Roger Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Kay Johnson, Finance Director Stephen Spade, Transit Director George Small, Engineering Director Kumar Neppalli, Traffic Engineer |
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SUBJECT: |
Parking and Tar Heel Express Proposals for University o f North Carolina Football Games |
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DATE: |
June 11, 2007 |
This memorandum summarizes proposals for changes to Tar Heel Express services and parking regulations during University of North Carolina football games. The attached ordinance would authorize on-street parking on Saturdays (days of Football game) on the north side of Raleigh Road (inbound right travel lane) between Greenwood Road and UNC Visitor Parking Lot.
Representatives of UNC and the Town of Chapel Hill have had a series of meetings to discuss possible methods to accommodate increased activity surrounding UNC football in the fall of 2007. The new coaching staff has brought an increased interest in UNC football that has already been evidenced by significantly higher ticket sales.
The discussions have focused on the following goals:
Chapel Hill Transit is considering the possibility of expanding the Tar Heel Express operation to help resolve the issues above. Currently, Tar Heel Express service operates from four park and ride lots: Friday Center, University Mall, Southern Village and Jones Ferry. Shuttle services begin 1 ½ hours before game time and end within 1 hour after the game.
Chapel Hill Transit is investigating the feasibility of introducing Tar Heel Express service along Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The option being considered would utilize parking at the University P Lot (Estes and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd) and the Shepp Center (725 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd). An additional consideration could be the use of the parking located at Town Hall. This routing would provide expanded parking options and take the fans directly through Franklin St.
In order to provide opportunity for game day fans to enjoy Franklin Street, Chapel Hill Transit would consider a one time fare that would allow fans to board the bus as many times as they wanted on that day. In addition the hours of operation would be expanded to run up to 3 hours before the game and 3 hours after the game.
Use of the parking lots on the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. corridor would provide additional parking and could help relieve traffic in other areas of Town.
The University requested that the Town establish on-street parking on Saturdays during the football games on the following streets:
Cameron Avenue between Pittsboro Street and Merritt Mill Road.
Please see the area maps presented in Attachment 1.
Raleigh Road: Raleigh Road has two through travel lanes on each side between Greenwood Road and Country Club Road. Under current on-street parking regulations, vehicles are not permitted to park on both sides of Raleigh Road between Greenwood Road and Country Club Road.
On-street parking on game Saturdays on the right inbound travel lane is reasonable, and we think that it will not create a traffic hazard. Approximately 70 cars can be parked in this lane. If approved, the Town staff would install the appropriate signs and the University will be responsible for monitoring the parking regulations.
Cameron Avenue: The proposal on Cameron Avenue is to provide the 39 existing metered spaces on Saturdays to the University. The University would be responsible for monitoring the use of the spaces for only their patrons/visitors on game Saturdays. Non-metered spaces on the remaining portion of Cameron Avenue would be available for use by area residents and others.
The University agreed to provide a fee on annual basis for use of these on-street parking spaces. The total contract amount is subject to review and approval by the Town Manager.
We recommend that the Council enact the attached ordinance that would authorize on-street parking on Saturdays (days of Football game) on the north side of Raleigh Road (inbound right travel lane) between Greenwood Road and UNC Visitor Parking Lot.
