TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Response to Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission Petition Regarding Stormwater Grates in Bike Lanes
DATE: January 24, 2000
This report is in response to the attached petition from the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission presented to the Town Council on May 10, 1999, related to stormwater grates in bike lanes.
The major concerns described in the petition relate to drainage grates which are lower than the surrounding asphalt in bike lanes along the roadways. Some of the stormwater grates are manufactured with concave surfaces, creating a dip. In addition, some of the grates are installed below the adjacent asphalt surface. Even those grates that are flat rather than concave in shape may be depressed two to three inches if the surrounding street has been resurfaced with one, two or more layers of asphalt.
In response to a petition submitted in March 1998, pavement markings were installed as warnings to bikers. However, the petitioners report that such warnings do not correct the conditions, nor do they foster a positive message encouraging use of bikes as an alternative to motor vehicles.
We completed a survey of grates on streets throughout the Town and found that there are 803 stormwater grates, of which 344 are on 10 State streets and 459 are on 71 Town streets. Most of these grates are not below the level of the surrounding asphalt as described in the petition. The grates along three State roads, Airport Road, Estes Drive and South Road, are those that generate the complaints. There are 95 grates along these roads that we believe are depressed, as described in the petition. Of this total, 23 may be avoided through use of bike paths adjacent to the roadway.
Drainage inlets installed over the past several years on Town streets do not have grates; rather, they have curb openings and present no problems to bicyclists.
In order to reduce the number of such depressions in the roadway, we would need to replace concave grates with grates having flat surfaces and, through the use of lifters, raise the grates to create a more even surface along the street. The cost to make these adjustments is about $600 per grate. If we were to address all 95 grates along the three roads generating the most complaints, we estimate our cost would be about $57,000. If we were to eliminate the 23 adjacent to bike paths, then we estimate our cost would be about $43,200.
We discussed this issue with officials of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation, and learned that they have grant funds for such modifications. However, they receive requests that far exceed available funds. For example, their current round of funding included $12,000,000, for which they received requests totaling $65,000,000. The second round of funding will include $12,000,000 and the submittal date will be in March 2000.
The Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board considered this matter at its meeting on January 11, 2000. Their findings and recommendation are attached. In summary, they concluded that the Town should apply for any NCDOT safety-related funds, rather than only funds from the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation, to correct possible hazards. In addition, the Board believes that local funds should be allocated to cover costs beyond funding provided by the State. The Board also recommended that Town staff continue to address the need for State funding, including researching the possibility of successfully litigating the issue, and the possibility of a legal requirement for such adjustments as part of resurfacing with NCDOT. The Board also recommended that the Town Council discuss the matter with our local Legislative members in April. The report of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board is attached.
We presently do not have operating funds to modify these conditions, although the Council could identify currents services that could be curtailed so that we could put resources towards this activity. We recommend that the Council direct the Manager to apply for NCDOT funds this spring.
1. Letter to Mayor Waldorf and Town Council from Dan Costa, Chair, Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Commission dated May 4, 1999 (p. 3)
2. Summary of Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Action dated January 11, 2000 (p. 4)