AGENDA #3a(1)

From: Angela Eberts [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 1:59 PM
To: Town Council
Cc: Lyria Boast (E-mail); Sam Eberts (E-mail); Claire Horne (E-mail); Ronnie Jackson (E-mail); George Jackson (E-mail); Margaret Conrad (E-mail); Ernie Rogers; Kumar Neppalli
Subject: Review of Parking and Lighting Request for Westwood Drive

Dear Mayor and Council of Chapel Hill,

I am writing to respectfully request the review of the lighting and parking on Westwood Drive.  Our concern is how they impact the overall safety of our neighborhood.  I am a resident of the Westwood neighborhood and am addressing concerns pertaining to the stretch of Westwood Drive that spans from Columbia to West University Drive.  I have discussed these issues with others in the neighborhood and we are in general agreement that these problems exist.

I recently met with Mr. Ernie Rogers and we are working with him to evaluate the options for traffic calming.  He informed us that the procedure for addressing parking and lighting issues is to write a letter to this body. What follows is a recap of the issues we'd like to have reviewed.

1) Parking:  This portion of Westwood often serves as a busy thoroughfare and there are several "blind" curves on the street.  Parkers who leave their cars on the street are endangering the the safety of their vehicles as well as vehicular and pedestrian traffic. 

2) Lighting:  There is insufficient lighting on the street and a flashlight is needed to walk the street at night.

Background Facts:

• Business commuters, UNC staff and students and city vehicles use this street as a "cut-through"
• There are no sidewalks, so pedestrian traffic is common and there are multiple dangerous blind curves obscured by parked vehicles
• This is a family neighborhood and more children have arrived in the past 5 years; making this a more pervasive problem

According to the UNC's 2005 Annual Development Plan Report on Transportation, Westwood Drive was recommended for further consideration of traffic calming measures, including speed tables, improved markings and all way stops. Currently, only two all-way stop signs have been installed at Westwood and West University, which are often ignored by drivers if nobody is present to enforce them.  No other measures have been taken on our area of Westwood Drive. 

Thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Angela Eberts
402 Westwood Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919.942-3267