AGENDA #5a
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Response to a Petition Regarding Traffic Issues on Cameron Avenue, Columbia Street and McCauley Street
DATE: June 24, 2002
The following information responds to a petition from Mr. Richard Goldberg requesting changes in existing parking regulations on Cameron Avenue, reconfiguration of a portion of South Columbia Street, and removal of on-street parking on McCauley Street.
At its April 8, 2002 meeting, the Council received a petition (Attachment #1) from Mr. Goldberg requesting the following traffic operation changes:
a) Reduce South Columbia Street from 4-lanes to 2-lanes from Manning Drive to South Street and add a bike lane instead. Please see Attachment #2 for area map.
b) Remove on-street parking from Cameron Avenue and establish marked bike lanes for 24 hours a day. Please see Attachment #3 for area map.
c) Remove on-street parking from McCauley Street and replace it with bike lanes for 24 hours a day. Please see Attachment #4 for area map.
The Council referred the petition to the Manager for a response.
We have reviewed each request outlined in the petition, and offer the following responses:
a) Reduce South Columbia Street from 4-lanes to 2-lanes from Manning Drive to South Street and add a bike lane instead: Columbia Street is maintained by the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and changes must be reviewed and approved by the State. The University’s OI-4 Development Plan was approved with the following changes proposed for Columbia Street between Manning Drive and South Road/McCauley Street:
Ø Narrow the street to three lanes (two 11-foot traffic lanes and one 14-foot bus/bicycle lane on the east side).
Ø Widen the eastern sidewalk by four feet to narrow the pavement to the required dimensions noted above.
Ø At the southern end of the street section, eliminate the excess pavement on the west side by extending the curb out to achieve a symmetrical section.
Ø Reconstruct the separate right-turn lane from South Columbia Street onto South Road to provide a tighter urban-type intersection.
The University is responsible for designing and securing State approval for the above listed roadway improvements on South Columbia Street. The improvements are to be completed by the end of the calendar year 2005.
We believe that these improvements will provide the improvements requested by Mr. Goldberg in his petition.
b) Remove on-street parking from Cameron Avenue and establish marked bike lanes for 24 hours a day: Cameron Avenue is a multi-use facility that accommodates several modes of transportation with 45 feet pavement width from face to face of curb. Pedestrians, bicycles, cars, trucks, buses, and existing on-street parking share this corridor. Cameron Avenue is a major collector street serving both local and through traffic to and from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the University. Currently, bike lanes are designated between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and westbound between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
In December 2000, the Council received a report and recommendations regarding proposed revisions to the roadway striping layout, parking regulations, and bike lane operations on Cameron Avenue. The Council took the following actions in response to that report:
Ø Eliminate the center turn lane with the exception of minimal center lane left-turn bays at Mallette Street, Ransom Street, Kenan Drive, and Merritt Mill Road.
Ø Eliminate on-street parking adjacent to remaining center lane left-turn bays.
Ø Revise time-of-day on-street parking restrictions to extend bike lane hours both in eastbound and westbound on Cameron Avenue.
Based on our field observations and comments we have received from users and residents of Cameron Avenue, we believe that the present method of providing designated bike lanes during peak bicycle travel periods and having cyclists share the road with motorized vehicles during off-peak hours works well. Following the implementation of changes on Cameron Avenue last year, the Town’s Parking Division implemented increased enforcement efforts on West Cameron Avenue.
Neither speeding nor speed related accidents have been chronic problems on West Cameron Avenue We believe this situation exists in part because the travel lanes are not overly wide and are shared by several modes of transportation which coexist and appear to generally respect each other’s rights and typical rules of the road.
We think the existing traffic controls and on-street parking regulations on West Cameron Avenue provide a reasonable compromise for providing safe and effective services on this multipurpose street. We do not suggest making further changes on West Cameron Avenue at this time.
c) Remove on-street parking from McCauley Street and establish bike lanes for 24 hours a day: Currently, parking on McCauley Street (between Ransom Street and Pittsboro Street) is not allowed between 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Monday through Friday. During our field review of this site we observed a few cars parked on McCauley Street before 12:00 noon, as noted by the petitioner. We have notified the Town Parking Division of this situation and the concerns of the petitioner. Enforcement will be increased on McCauley Street to ticket cars illegally parked. We did not observe any occupied cars waiting in the restricted area until noon, when parking is allowed.
During the afternoon and evening hours, most on-street parking spaces are occupied and we did not observe any apparent mobility problems for cyclists, pedestrians, or motorists. We think that the present compromise on McCauley Street best accommodates the variety of interests and uses that this street needs to serve. There are a number of residences on McCauley Street which regularly use the available on-street parking. Parking by permit restrictions have not been necessary at this location to date. The present afternoon, evening, and weekend parking availability appears to be adequately serving the local residents, and we do not suggest any changes in the current parking regulations at this time.
CONCLUSION
We think that Cameron Avenue and McCauley Street are providing excellent service with the existing regulations for on-street parking and bicycle use. Both streets perform multiple functions and serve a variety of different users. The current regulations establish a reasonable compromise for providing safe and effective services to all users.
We believe that the South Columbia Street changes proposed by the University as part of the OI-4 Development Plan will provide the improvements requested by the petitioner.
1. Petition (p. 4).
2. South Columbia Street Area Map (p. 6).
3. West Cameron Avenue Area Map (p. 7).
4. McCauley Street Area Map (p. 8).
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