Cameron gets bike lanes, loses parking

Bikers and drivers now can ride along western Cameron Avenue in their own separate lanes.

The town of Chapel Hill finished Tuesday adding two permanent bike lanes to Cameron Avenue between Merritt Mill Road and Pittsboro Street — changes authorized by the Town Council in November.

A person standing on the south side of the road now will see a bicycle lane, two travel lanes, another bicycle lane and a parking lane, said town Traffic Engineer Kumar Neppalli.

About 40 parking spaces along the south side of the road were lost to the new bike lanes.

Neppalli said he does not believe that the loss of the spaces will cause a significant impact on the town because there are other places to park downtown.

“Most parking is used for students in the daytime,” he said. “We’re not removing parking from residents.”

People still are able to park along the north side of the road as long as they are within the markings, he said.

The majority of the signs prohibiting parking along the south side of the road are already in place.

The town will try to be lenient until all signs have been cleared, Neppalli said.

“A few warning tickets will be issued to help people adjust,” he said, adding that the town is not trying to go behind students’ backs.

Bicycle lanes were previously available during designated parts of the day, but they were not identified for bikes or marked by solid lines.

“(The Town Council) wants to make the town more bicycle-friendly,” Neppalli said.

UNC sophomore Tim Hammond said the permanent bike lanes are a good idea because most people ride on the street and not the sidewalk.

“It’s definitely a lot safer,” he said. “You’d be riding, and people would be opening and closing their doors (into bicyclists).”

Senior Robert Callaway said the new lanes would improve safety.

Both Callaway and Hammond said they would not be affected by the loss of parking.

Chapel Hill resident Rock Pereira said he uses Cameron Avenue four or five times per week, usually on a bicycle.

He specifically referred to the intersection of Ransom Street and Cameron Avenue as a place where the new bike lanes will be useful.

“If a bike is in the bike lane, the bike has a right to be in the bike lane,” he said.

Along with the addition of bicycle lanes, parking meters will be installed on the north side of the road.

The meters will be put in place next month and are expected to generate a net revenue of $50,000 per year, Neppalli said.

The meters will cost the town $10,000 to install. Restriping the road cost $12,000.

Although the meter and sign work has not yet been completed, the road will remain open to traffic.

“We’re not going to close anything,” Neppalli said.

The section of Cameron Avenue between Raleigh and South Columbia streets will be closed by the University starting Monday. It is expected to be closed until May.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.