AGENDA #

AGENDA #5b

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Town Council

FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT: Response to a Petition from the Transportation Board Requesting more Aggressive Pursuit of Implementing Crosswalks Throughout Town

DATE: March 24, 2003

The following report responds to a petition by the Transportation Board requesting more aggressive pursuit of implementing crosswalks throughout Town.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

At its January 13, 2003 meeting, the Council received and referred a petition (Attachment #1) from the Transportation Board requesting more aggressive pursuit of implementing crosswalks throughout Town. In their petition, the Transportation Board also mentioned the pedestrian fatality at the unsignalized intersection of Franklin Street and Church Street.

It is our understanding that the Transportation Board requests that Town staff more aggressively pursue measures to accommodate pedestrians and to improve pedestrian safety by implementing improvements including the installation of marked pedestrian crosswalks and improved pedestrian signs and signals throughout Town.

DISCUSSION

The improvements listed in the table below are examples of work involving a variety of pedestrian improvements throughout Town. The table lists pedestrian-related improvements that (1) have recently been completed; (2) have been approved and will be completed this year and; (3) are currently under consideration (with approval expected this year).

Intersection/Corridor	Pedestrian Crosswalk Improvements
Pedestrian Improvements Recently Completed:

1. Hamilton Road and NC 54	Traffic signal upgraded with count-down pedestrian heads and school zone flashing lights
2. Manning Drive and Hibbard Road	New traffic signal installed with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalks
3. Manning Drive and Craig Drive	New traffic signal installed with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalks
4. US 15/501 and Main Street (Southern Village)	New traffic signal installed with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalks
5. US 15/501 and Culbreth Road	Traffic signal upgraded with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalk
6. Columbia Street and NC 54 Ramps	Traffic signals at both ramps upgraded with pedestrian signal heads and pedestrian crosswalks
7. Weaver Dairy Road and Kingston Drive (VILCOM)	New traffic signal installed with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalks
8. Franklin Street and Eastgate Entrance	Traffic signal upgraded with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalk

Pedestrian Improvements Approved and Planned for Construction in 2003:
1. Franklin Street and Church Street	New traffic signal with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalks
2. Franklin Street and Boundary Street	Upgrade traffic signal with count-down pedestrian signal heads and crosswalks
3. Franklin Street and Raleigh Street	Upgrade traffic signal with count-down pedestrian signal heads
4. NC 54 and Hamilton Road	Upgrade crosswalks with colored/textured stamped asphalt and install rumble strips at crosswalk approaches on NC 54

Pedestrian Improvements Currently Under Consideration:
1. Columbia Street and Rosemary Street	Upgrade traffic signal with count-down pedestrian heads
2. Columbia Street and Cameron Avenue	Upgrade traffic signal with count-down pedestrian heads
3. Franklin Street and Henderson Street	Upgrade traffic signal with count-down pedestrian heads

We are in continuing discussions with the State regarding the importance of comprehensive pedestrian accommodations in Chapel Hill where we strongly encourage walking as an alternative to driving and where we require special consideration to effectively accommodate the large pedestrian population associated with the University. As a result of our dialogue with the State, we have been assured that all new traffic signals installed on State roads in Chapel Hill will include pedestrian accommodations such as marked crosswalks and pedestrian signal heads.

We are presently working with the State to develop a plan to improve pedestrian facilities on Airport Road between Homestead Road and the downtown area. Town staff is also represented on the University Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee which identifies pedestrian problems and recommends improvements to mitigate those problems and to improve pedestrian circulation throughout the University campus and surrounding areas.

CONCLUSION

We will continue to work closely with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and with the University to aggressively pursue crosswalks and other pedestrian improvements throughout the community and campus.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Petition by the Transportation Board (p. 4).