Sidewalks for Estes Drive Extension

A few years ago, the voters of Carrboro approved a $4 Million bond issue to build sidewalks in various locations around Carrboro. One of the projects on the list was a sidewalk on the south side of Estes Drive Extension from the railroad tracks to North Greensboro Street.

The sidewalk bond money has not gone as far as people had hoped. Considerably more engineering, drainage and utility relocation costs have cropped up and not all of the original list of sidewalks are going to be able to built with the money. Also, in the intervening years, the Town annexed neighborhoods on the west side of Rogers Road and it became apparent that Rogers Road was a place that needed a sidewalk, but had not been on the list before because it was not within town limits.

The latest list of sidewalks that are proposed to be built with the remaining sidewalk bond money does not include Estes Drive Extenstion. But the list does include sidewalks on Shelton Street, Pine Street, Ashe Street, Bim Street, Rogers Road and a few others. The Bim and Ashe Street projects are funded mostly from the federal Economic Stimulus legislation and that money apparently cannot be re-programmed.

Some folks have pointed out that there is an informal pedestrian path from Estes Park apartments connecting to Pleasant Street, which we are supposed to think is a sufficient connection from the Estes area to downtown, but I think that connection does not serve the public well:

That is the furniture dumpster for Estes Park Apts. on the right. The rough dirt path goes through a short stretch of woods and is not readily patrolled by police as it stands now. Also, that connection does little good for anyone else. Tree Top and other neighborhoods need a sidewalk on Estes Drive.

Also, the informal path at the end of Pleasant does little or nothing for those of us who live off Greensboro Street and would like to be able to walk safely to Chapel Hill. Along Estes is our connection to Village West, Umstead Park and the future alignment of the Bolin Creek Greenway. Without a good and permanent pedestrian connection to Greensboro Street, walkers are cut off.

I think the Board of Aldermen should re-evaluate the various sidewalk projects and find a way to fund the Estes Drive Extension sidewalk. If you think I am right about that, then please email the Carrboro Town Clerk swilliamson@ci.carrboro.nc.us and she will forward your message to the members of the Board of Aldermen.