to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
from: J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director
David Bonk, Long Range and Transportation Manager
Lance Norris, Public Works Director
George Small, Engineering Director
Butch Kisiah, Parks and Recreation Director
subject: Public Forum on the Sidewalk Construction Program
date: October 15, 2008
The purpose of tonight’s public forum is to review the status of the Town’s Sidewalk Construction Program (Attachment 1) and receive comments from the Town Council and public.
On September 8, 2008, the Town Council received an update on the Sidewalk Construction Program http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/4o/4o-staff_memo.htm. The FY2006 and FY2008 bond funds have been fully committed, and funds from the anticipated FY2009 bond sale will allow continuation of the sidewalk construction program. On September 8, 2008 the Council set tonight’s public forum to receive public comment on the development of a sidewalk construction program. Below is the projected schedule for bond issues for sidewalk construction, approved on June 26, 2006:
|
FY 2006 |
FY 2008 |
FY 2009 (projected) |
|
$600,000 |
$600,000 |
$800,000 |
Attachment 2 provides information on the status of projects funded from the 2004-2008 bonds. Several projects have been completed or underway. We have provided below a list of projects that has been included in previously approved construction lists but have not been completed.
· N. Graham Street, east side, W.Rosemary Street to Whitaker Street Comment: Sidewalk not to be built per Town Council directive.
· Tinkerbell Road, west side, Ephesus Church Road to Fountain Ridge Road Comment: Sidewalk not to be built per Town Council directive.
· Honeysuckle Road from Sedgefield Drive to North Lakeshore Drive Comment: Sidewalk not built due to limited funds.
· East Lakeview Drive from Old Durham Chapel Hill Road to US 15/501 Comment: Sidewalk not built due to limited funds.
Funding from the Chapel Hill sidewalk bond funds are also used as local match for regional Surface Transportation Program Direct Allocation (STPDA) funds. These projects include:
· Old Durham-Chapel Hill Road Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements
· NC86/Martin Luther King Blvd Pedestrian Safety Improvements
· Fordham Boulevard sidewalk NE Fordham Boulevard/Estes Drive
· Culbreth Road Pedestrian Improvements
The cost estimate for the Culbreth Road, project has increased from $113,000 to $165, 500. We have been allocated $108,000 from Surface Transportation Programming Direct Allocation (STPDA) funds. The original project did not include financial participation by the Town of Carrboro although over 50% of the project length is within Carrboro’s jurisdiction. With the increased cost for the project we have begun discussions with Carrboro to determine whether they might provide a portion of the local share. We are also exploring the possibility that a portion of the sidewalk might be constructed as part of the larger Smith Level Road construction project to be undertaken by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
The adopted 2008-2009 Town budget includes a provision to sell $800,000 in sidewalk construction bonds in the fall of 2008. Town staff will modify the adopted priority list using the current sidewalk ranking criteria which were included in the September 8, 2008 memorandum.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Staff has received comments from the public as noted in the Town Council September 8, 2008 memorandum http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/2008/09/08/4o/4o-staff_memo.htm. Attachment 2 includes additional comments received since the September 8, 2008 meeting. Table 1 below summarizes the sidewalk requests and comments made before tonight’s public forum. Staff will address these and those received tonight when we return on November 24.
Table 1 Public Comments
|
Project |
Location |
Project Status |
|
Country Club Road |
Ridge Road to the T Parking Lot |
New project added to the sidewalk construction program master list. Attachment 4 shows a map of the location and approximate estimates of available right-of-way. |
|
Bennett Road |
US15-501 to Mount Carmel Church Road |
Project is currently identified on the construction list. Updated ranking moves project from #10 to #7. |
|
Barbee Chapel Road |
US15-501 to Downing Creek Parkway |
Project is currently identified on the sidewalk construction list (Transportation Improvement Program). |
|
University Drive |
Ransom Street to Pittsboro Street |
Project is currently identified on the sidewalk construction list. The Westside Neighborhood Association requests that the sidewalk be constructed of brick to match the surrounding area and historical character of the community. Updated ranking moves project from #2 to #1. |
|
Rosemary Street |
Columbia Street to Mitchell Lane |
Project is currently identified on the sidewalk construction list |
The following comments address broader pedestrian improvement policy. They are included as Attachment 3.
|
Citizen Comments |
|
Crosswalk Improvement Plan Recommended (Complete Streets Approach):Crosswalks that allow pedestrians to crossover roadways are a vital part of the transportation system, and the lack of crosswalks linking thousands of pedestrians to transit stops all over Chapel Hill is of particular concern. |
|
Recommended Changes to the Town’s Sidewalk Ranking System: The Town’s Sidewalk Ranking System that establishes a sidewalk’s priority does not appear to indentify improvements that would necessarily maximize pedestrian use, pedestrian safety, or address environmental impact. b) Include topography in the Ranking System (e.g., ranked the same on the priority list, Lake Ellen Drive, with very little contour is probably much safer to walk than Shady lawn Road, which is hilly and curvy and includes blind curves). |
ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Chapel Hill Active Living by Design Partnership Advisory Committee, the Planning Board, the Greenways Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Transportation Board were consulted to provide input for the Sidewalk Construction Plan.
Transportation Board Recommendation:
Transportation Board (October 9, 2008):
Active Living by Design Committee Recommendation: (Attachment 5)
The Active Living by Design Advisory Committee voted to recommend that Town Council evaluate the sidewalk priority list ranking system with a focus on the highest priority on the list being constructed first, regardless of if it is a Town owned or State owned road. It seems that the Sidewalk Priority List is not followed according to the rankings.
Planning Board Recommendation:
Planning Board (October 21, 2008)
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Recommendation: (Attachment 6)
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board recommended that the Town Council considers constructing sidewalks on state maintained roads ranked 1-3 on the sidewalk construction master list. In addition, funds should be used for sidewalk projects on town maintained roads and as local match for Transportation Improvement Program projects.
Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendation:
Parks and Recreation Commission (October 15, 2008)
Greenways Commission Recommendation: (Attachment 7)
The Greenways Commission had no additional projects to include on the sidewalk construction master list.
We will return on November 24, 2008 with a memorandum addressing citizen comments and revising the priority list. We will also include a proposed construction program.
1. 2006-2007 Sidewalk Construction Master List (p. 6).
2. 2004-2008 Bond Funded Projects Table (p. 9).
3. Public Comments Received (as of September 2008) (p. 11).
4. Country Club Road Sidewalk Request Map (p. 24).
5. Active Living by Design Committee Summary of Action (p. 25).
6. Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Summary of Action (p. 27).
7. Draft Greenways Commission Summary of Action (p. 28).
