MLK medians to be completed by July 1

Pedestrians will soon be able to breathe easier as they cross Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

Chapel Hill is building seven pedestrian refuge islands, or medians, in the center lane of the boulevard.

The project is expected to be completed by July 1. The project will cost $403,952.

The islands are raised cement medians that provide a safe place for pedestrians to wait for a gap in traffic when crossing the street. Pedestrians can deal with one flow of traffic at a time.

“This is part of Chapel Hill’s pedestrian safety movement,” said Mike Mills, a division engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. “There are a lot of Chapel Hill students walking across MLK and down the turn lane.”

Mills said the department has stopped building center lanes for the past five years since it became law. The center lane has created safety issues.

“We have seen head-on collisions and rear-ends.”

Mills said cars have used the center lane as an acceleration lane for about half a mile before merging into traffic as pedestrians use the lane as a crossing point. 

Engineer Services Manager for Chapel Hill Kumar Neppalli said the funds are from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The act includes funding construction and repair of roads and bridges.

Neppalli said the islands will not restrict any driveways along the boulevard except in front of the Town Hall. The island placed there will restrict left turns.

One island is in the process of being built close to the shopping center with Foster’s Market.

Al Bowers, manger of Flying Burrito, said the island shouldn’t affect traffic flow into his restaurant.

“Safety should be the main priority,” Bowers said. “If you can make it very safe and efficient then that is a bonus.”

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.