AGENDA # 4j
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report on Request for Pedestrian Improvements along Mason Farm Road and the
Installation of Traffic Control Devices at the Mason Farm Road/East Drive
Intersection
DATE: March 27, 2000
The following report responds to a petition requesting the installation of continuous sidewalks along both sides of Mason Farm Road from Columbia Street to Otey’s Road; the installation of marked crosswalks on Mason Farm Road at certain locations; and the installation of a traffic signal or additional stop signs at the Mason Farm Road/East Drive intersection creating an all-stop condition. (Please refer to the attached Map 1.)
The attached ordinance would authorize the installation of stop signs at the intersection of Mason Farm Road and East Drive.
During its January 10, 2000 meeting, Mr. Kenneth Broun presented a petition to the Council on behalf of residents living south of the University of North Carolina campus and hospitals requesting that the Town address pedestrian safety concerns by completing the following improvements:
1. Install a traffic signal or create an all-stop condition at the intersection of Mason Farm Road and East Drive.
2. Install marked pedestrian crosswalks at the intersection of Mason Farm Road and East Drive.
3. Construct continuous sidewalks along both sides of Mason Farm Road from Columbia Street to Otey’s Road, with the sidewalk located on the south side being wide enough to accommodate both pedestrians and bicyclists.
4. Install a marked pedestrian crosswalk on Mason Farm Road between Taylor Hall and the Environmental Protection Agency building.
The residents’ concerns for pedestrian and bicyclist safety are prompted by University projects in this area and the increasing amount of traffic on Mason Farm Road. (Please refer to the attached December 12, 1999 petition.) As directed by the Council, we provided a copy of this petition to the University of North Carolina, and discussed the petition requests with University staff.
The University of North Carolina currently has several projects under construction in this area. Normal traffic patterns have been altered to accommodate construction work, and these alterations affect traffic on Mason Farm Road and the adjacent neighborhood streets. One project, the Health Affairs Parking Deck II, included the realignment of East Drive and the reconstruction of its intersection with Mason Farm Road. Having reviewed the area in question and discussed these issues with University staff, we offer the following responses:
1. Petition Request - Install a traffic signal or create an all-stop condition at the intersection of Mason Farm Road and East Drive.
Staff Response - After reviewing existing conditions and considering the planned improvements, we believe that an all-stop condition would be appropriate at the intersection of Mason Farm Road and East Drive. The attached ordinance would authorize the installation of stop signs on all approaches to this intersection.
We do not believe that a traffic signal is necessary at this location based on expected volumes of vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic.
2. Petition Request - Install a marked pedestrian crosswalk at the intersection of Mason Farm Road and East Drive.
Staff Response - We agree with this request. As presented on the attached map, there are small segments of existing sidewalk located along Mason Farm Road and East Drive, which do not provide any connectivity. The University is preparing to construct sidewalks along both sides of Mason Farm Road between South Columbia Street and East Drive, which is expected to be complete by the fall of 2000. The new sidewalk construction will fill in missing segments and provide a continuous sidewalk along this portion of Mason Farm Road. Therefore, we suggest delaying installation of the crosswalks until the University completes its construction work in this area, to avoid directing pedestrians into construction areas or locations where there are no sidewalks. We think that crosswalks could be installed this fall, subject to the University’s construction progress.
3.
Petition Request - Construct continuous sidewalks along
both sides of Mason Farm Road from Columbia Street to Otey’s Road, with the sidewalk
located on the south side being wide enough to accommodate both pedestrians and
bicyclists.
Staff Response - The University is developing plans for a project that will install sidewalks along both sides of Mason Farm Road between South Columbia Street and East Drive. Construction is expected to be complete by the fall of 2000.
Regarding the section of Mason Farm Road from East Drive to Otey’s Road, we recommend that this project be included on the Town’s list of proposed sidewalk projects, which will be considered by the Council later this spring. We will forward a copy of this petition to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board for review and comment as part of the Council’s annual review of community-wide sidewalk needs and priorities.
4. Petition Request – Install a marked pedestrian crosswalk on Mason Farm Road between Taylor Hall and the Environmental Protection Agency building.
Staff Response – The University currently has a construction entrance on the north side of Mason Farm Road directly across from the walkway to the Environmental Protection Agency building where the new crosswalk is being proposed. We do not believe that it would be prudent to install the crosswalk at this time. However, once all work is completed in the vicinity, the University will place a marked pedestrian crosswalk on Mason Farm Road between Taylor Hall and the Environmental Protection Agency building.
We will continue to monitor the progress of the University construction projects in this area. We will work with the University to assure that crosswalk pavement markings at the Mason Farm Road/East Drive intersection and on Mason Farm Road between Taylor Hall and the Environmental Protection Agency building are installed as part of its sidewalk project following completion of the adjacent structures.
Unless otherwise directed, we will include the installation of sidewalks along both sides of Mason Farm Road from East Drive to Otey’s Road on the Town’s list of proposed sidewalk projects for future consideration by the Council.
That the Council adopt the following ordinance authorizing the installation of additional stop signs to create an all stop condition at the intersection of Mason Farm Road and East Drive.
1. Map 1 (p.5).
2. 12/15/99 Petition (8 pages) (p.6).
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 21-13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING
RIGHT-OF-WAY AND STOP REGULATIONS (2000-03-27/O-2)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill as follows:
Section 1. Section 21-13(c) of the Town Code of Ordinances, “Right-of-way and stop regulations” is amended by inserting the following, in appropriate alphabetical order:
“Intersection(s)
Section 2. This ordinance shall become effective April 1, 2000.
This the 27th day of March, 2000.