1. The remaining projects that are proposed to be paid for with bond money are:
Shelton St Sidewalk: $215,000
Davie Rd Sidewalk: $650,000
Pine St Sidewalk: $625,000
2. Unfunded project:
Estes Sidewalk: $1,200,000
3. Other sidewalks are currently scheduled but are being funded with state and federal grant moneys that cannot easily be redirected to other projects (Ashe St, Bim St and Elm St sidewalks all fall in this category).
4. The Wilson Park Multi-use Path is fully funded and would begin (ie design phase) in 2010-11.
5. The Wilson Park Multi-use Path is now proposed to extend parallel to Estes to connect to Phase 1A of the Bolin Creek Greenway and that would happen as a part of the BC Greenway construction in more like 2011-12. The extended connection between these two would create a bike/ped only corridor that immediately parallels Estes Dr Ext for about 1/4 mile from Bolin Creek to a place opposite the entrance to Estes Park Apartments. The proposal includes a pedestrian-only, push-button-activated traffic light and crosswalk at the entrance to Estes Park Apartments.
So it appears that we can only afford the Estes sidewalk if we shelve both Pine Street and Davie Road - and personally, I think the Davie Road sidewalk project is also very important. Consequently last night I asked the Town staff to report back to the Board of Aldermen about other alternatives such as:
A) formalizing the bike/ped connection from Pleasant to Estes Park Apartments, and
B) building the Estes sidewalk, but only from Hillcrest Ave to North Greensboro Street.
The Board of Aldermen will then evaluate whether to reprogram some of the money listed under #1 above to pay for any improvements in the Estes area beyond the Wilson Park Multi-use Path (such as A and/or B above).
Also, the BOA will soon see a more detailed presentation on phase 1A of the Bolin creek Greenway/Wilson Park Multi-use Path.
Here's a rough sketch of these various proposed paths:
The other thing that I learned last night is that the staff is proposing that the Estes sidewalk be done as a part of the 2011 NCDOT Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The advantage of this would be big, because the Feds would pick up 80% or 90% of the tab and we would also ask for bikelanes as a part of the project.
ReplyDeleteBut the problems with this idea are legion. First, we cannot be sure that this project would even wind up in the 2011 TIP. Second, even if it does get put in the 2011 TIP, that plan will be a five year plan, so it could be scheduled for 2016. Third, even though a TIP project on Estes would probably involve sidewalks and bikelanes, NCDOT would probably want the project to include additional travel lanes (as they have tried to do on Smith Level Road).
Good on you for being flexible, but if you make the connection between Estes Park and Pleasant Drive, it will be of limited use without opening the gate between the other side of Estes Park and Village Drive.
ReplyDeleteBTW, you can post all this stuff on OrangePolitics, too! Everything doesn't have to be a front-page item...
A better Bike/Ped connection at Pleasant Drive is a benefit even without reopening the gate at the Merritt Crossing, but you are right that it would make even more sense if the Merritt Crossing were also open. Maybe the Pleasant Drive connection would re-open that discussion.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I sometimes think that part of the reason that so little has been done on the Estes walkability issues is because the area is so dreadfully un-walkable now. It is demoralizing to think about how long and drawn out the ultimate solution will be, but I think we should just move forward deliberately and start making the area more walkable one step at a time (so to speak).
Also, here is a link to the staff's powerpoint presentation on the sidewalk issues:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.townofcarrboro.org/BoA/Agendas/2009/11_10_2009_B2A1.pdf
You can watch video of the meeting by going here:
ReplyDeletehttp://townofcarrboro.org/BoA/Agendas/2009/11_10_2009.htm
Click on "Watch and Hear Board Meeting" about 1/3 of the way down the page. You can skip forward to 1:27:30 on the video to get to the discussion of sidewalks.
Aldermen discuss the issues starting at 1:45:40.