AGENDA #12

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Town Council

 

FROM:            Kevin C. Foy, Mayor

 

SUBJECT:       Weaver Dairy Road Proposal

 

DATE:             August 26, 2002

 

The attached resolution would schedule a public forum at the beginning of the Council’s regular business meeting on September 9, 2002 so that the Council may discuss and receive comments regarding an alternative design proposal for Weaver Dairy Road that has been developed by the Mayor’s Committee on Weaver Dairy Road Improvements.  Attachment #1 consists of concept drawings of the Committee’s proposal.

 

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

 

Following review of information about the history and status of the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project, and after receiving public comment, the Council adopted a resolution on April 22, 2002, requesting that the North Carolina Department of Transportation consider three-lane improvements rather than four-lane median divided improvements on Weaver Dairy Road between NC 86 and Erwin Road.  Attachment #2 is a copy of the resolution for reference.

 

On May 8, 2002, State Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett responded to the Council’s resolution reiterating the State’s preference for the four-lane median divided cross section for Weaver Dairy Road.  Attachment #3 is copy of Secretary Tippett’s letter.

 

Subsequently, I established a Mayor’s Committee to further consider improvement alternatives for Weaver Dairy Road, with the objective of identifying a plan that might be acceptable to both the Town and the State.  The Committee met during the summer and concluded that a highly efficient three lane cross-section (i.e. one that optimizes both the capacity and safety of the single travel lane in each direction) could meet the objectives of the Town and the State.  Please refer to the attached concept drawings.

 

Attachment #4 is a copy of my letter to State Transportation Board Member Douglas Galyon.  This letter outlines the proposed three-lane concept and highlights key points of the design. I met with Mr. Galyon on August 19 to discuss the Committee’s proposed plan.  Mr. Galyon suggested that the Council as a whole determine whether this three-lane configuration is acceptable, and in the meantime he agreed to forward the plan to the Department of Transportation for preliminary review.  He also suggested that the Council go on record at the upcoming Public Hearing on Weaver Dairy Road Improvements with a position statement regarding the Committee’s proposed three-lane concept plan.  That Public Hearing is now tentatively scheduled by the State for October 2002.

Based on my conversation with Mr. Galyon and in accordance with our standing procedures for such issues, I believe that it would be appropriate for the Council to schedule a Public Forum to discuss the Committee’s concept plan and to receive citizen comments about the plan.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Council adopt the attached resolution scheduling a Public Forum on September 9, 2002 to discuss and receive comments about the proposed three-lane concept plan for Weaver Dairy Road between NC 86 and Erwin Road.

 

ATTACHMENTS:

 

1.         Proposal Maps for Weaver Dairy Road (p. 4).

2.         Resolution R-1 dated 04-22-2002 (p. 7).

3.         Kevin Foy letter dated May 8, 2002 (p. 9).

4.         Douglas Galyon letter dated August 2, 2002 (p. 10).

 

 

 

 

A RESOLUTION SCHEDULING A PUBLIC FORUM TO DISCUSS AND RECEIVE COMMENTS REGARDING A PROPOSED THREE-LANE DESIGN FOR WEAVER DAIRY ROAD BETWEEN NC 86 AND ERWIN ROAD (2002-08-26/R-19)

 

WHEREAS, the Town and the State are not presently in agreement on the scope of improvements for Weaver Dairy Road between NC 86 and Erwin Road; and

 

WHEREAS, the Mayor established a committee to study improvement alternatives for Weaver Dairy Road with the intent of identifying an improvement plan that would be acceptable to both the Town and the State; and

 

WHEREAS, the Mayor’s Committee has developed a concept plan for a highly efficient three-lane cross section design that could meet most objectives of both the Town and the State for Weaver Dairy Road; and

 

WHEREAS, the Council wishes to discuss and receive public comment on the concept plan proposed by the Committee before taking further action.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council will hold a Public Forum on Monday, September 9, 2002 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Town Hall to receive citizens’ comments and to discuss the three-lane concept plan proposed by the Mayor’s Committee for Weaver Dairy Road.

 

This the 26^th day of August, 2002.