Officials examine road networks

Carrboro officials hope to make downtown safer and more welcoming for locals with the implementation of several new initiatives.

On June 14, the Carrboro Board of Alderman received a report on downtown transportation that describes how the town can enhance its overall quality.

With a focus on the town’s transit system, the report provides ways in which town leaders can improve and expand the system to boost the vibrancy of downtown Carrboro.

“The report is what it is — a series of recommendations that has been received — and we will move forward to implement those,” said Transportation Planner Dale McKeel.

A major point of the report centers on making pedestrians a first priority in downtown Carrboro.

“I was really impressed with the recommendations the report had regarding pedestrians,” Alderman Jackie Gist said.

“I like the idea of implementing improved crosswalks and making downtown Carrboro safer.”

Among major transportation problems, the report sites confusing intersections for pedestrians to cross, limited penetration for bikeways in downtown, pedestrians waiting too long for traffic and an overall limited access for pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists.

Solutions for these problems include downtown intersection improvements for bicyclists, longer countdowns for pedestrian crosswalks and accommodation of growth through increased use of walkways, bikeways and transit rather than wider roads.

Other goals of the report include repaving Weaver Street, extending Roberson Street, improving the Greensboro Street corridor, improving bus stops, redesigning East Main Street, creating roundabouts for Town Hall and planting trees and shrubs along the sidewalk to create landscaping visual screens.

Gist added that one major problem is unnecessary traffic.

“I frankly think that our emphasis needs to be getting people who live two or three miles out to take public transportation or ride bikes,” she said. “What we have is Chapel Hill and Carrboro citizens getting gummed up while fighting to go two or three miles and then fighting to find a place to park.”

Following the presentation of the report last week, aldermen have asked town staff to come back with a plan of action for recommendations in the report.

McKeel said it is still too early to make a determination as to when Carrboro citizens will see these recommended changes, but staff will continue to work towards an improved transportation system.

He said that they will report back to the aldermen by August with revised recommendations.

“There are a number of recommendations in the report, and the implementation of those is going to take considerable amount of time,” McKeel said.

“There is a cost associated with trying to identify sources of funding for the various recommendations, and that’s certainly going be a huge part of it.”

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.