UNC Chancellor James Moeser sent a letter March 1 to Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy asking the town to request that the N.C. Department of Transportation conduct a feasibility study on widening a portion of the roadway.
In response to Moeser's request, residents of the Westwood and Westside neighborhoods filed a petition with the town March 25 to protest the traffic study and to reaffirm the town's plans to make structural modifications to South Columbia Street.
The petition included a resolution to proceed with plans for bicycle lanes, pedestrian walkways and additional appropriate turn lanes -- structural modifications that were approved by the town, the University and the NCDOT in October 1998.
But Monday night, the council voted down the residents' resolution 5-4, giving a green light for future discussions with the University regarding a feasibility study on the roadway.
Council member Flicka Bateman said she voted against the resolution because she thinks it is important to hear the University's reasons for conducting the traffic study.
"I think that what we need to do is to hear what the University has to say, and we have not done that," Bateman said.
But council member Dorothy Verkerk said she voted in favor of the resolution because she thinks University officials already have had the opportunity to voice their stance on the issue.
"I felt that the University had had the opportunity provided (to voice its opinion) and helped craft the plan (for South Columbia Street)," Verkerk said.
Although the town, the University and the NCDOT approved structural modifications about 3 1/2 years ago, Moeser reopened the issue March 25, 2001, when he sent a letter to the NCDOT to request a study about widening South Columbia Street to improve access to UNC Hospitals.
