AGENDA #7
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report from Citizens Committee to Study Traffic Safety Issues on Weaver Dairy Road
DATE: January 28, 2002
In August 2001, the Town Council established a committee comprised of 25 citizens to study short-term and long-term traffic safety issues on Weaver Dairy Road. The Committee was asked to:
Ø Identify, evaluate, and recommend traffic calming measures to be considered by the State for incorporation into the improvement plans for Weaver Dairy Road; and
Ø Suggest short-term improvements (relating to the existing conditions on Weaver Dairy Road) that could be implemented in the interim before the State project is constructed.
The Committee held a total of nine meetings at the Town Hall from September 2001 to January 2002 to discuss short-term issues. The Committee identified existing traffic safety problems and prepared several recommendations as possible solutions. A copy of the Committee report is attached for your review. The report will be presented tonight by the Chairman of the Committee.
That the Council adopt the attached resolution which would refer the report to:
1. The North Carolina Department of Transportation for their evaluation and comments.
2. The Manager for evaluation and for development of funding and scheduling options for the Council’s consideration.
1. Report from Citizens Committee (p. 3).
2. Resolution creating the Citizen’s Committee to Study Traffic Safety Issues on Weaver Dairy Road (p. 10).
3. Current Member List for the Citizen’s Committee to Study Traffic Safety Issues on Weaver Dairy Road (p. 11).
4. Map of Proposed Weaver Dairy Road Project (p. 12).
A RESOLUTION RECEIVING THE REPORT FROM THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE TO STUDY TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUES ON WEAVER DAIRY ROAD AND REFERRING THE REPORT TO THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE TOWN MANAGER FOR EVALUATION AND COMMENT ON THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS (2002-01-28/R-8a)
WHEREAS, the Committee has submitted a report identifying several short-term traffic problems and possible solutions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council receives the Committee report and refers it to the Manager for evaluation and for development of funding and scheduling options for the Council’s consideration, and to the Planning Board, Transportation Board, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board.
This the 28th day of January, 2002.
A RESOLUTION ASKING THE MAYOR TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON BEHALF OF THE CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL REGARDING THE WIDENING OF WEAVER DAIRY ROAD (2001-01-28/R-8b)
WHEREAS, the Chapel Hill Town Council agreed in 2001 to a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) plan to widen Weaver Dairy Road to a four-lane road with median’ and
WHEREAS, the Chapel Hill Town Council now wishes to reconsider the matter of the configuration of Weaver Dairy Road; and
WHEREAS, reconsideration may require the need for collection of further information and citizen involvement; and
WHEREAS, the NCDOT is currently planning for the widening previously agreed to by the Council, but the Council wishes to defer the planning until such time as it has had sufficient time to reconsider the matter;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby requests that the Mayor communicate with the NCDOT on behalf of the town and request the following:
1. That the NCDOT immediately suspend all planning, including engineering planning, for the widening of Weaver Dairy Road; and
2. Ask that any funds allocated by NCDOT not be allocated away from Chapel Hill until the town communicates the result of its reconsideration of this issue; and
3. That the planning remain suspended until such time as the Chapel Hill Town Council reconsiders its earlier decision, and formally communicates the results of its reconsideration to the NCDOT.
This the 28th day of January, 2002.