Carrboro Town Council and community members envision the future of East Weaver Street

Navigating East Weaver Street often means frustration due to frequent backups and traffic, community member Kemp Watson-Ormond said. 

When asked about the future of the downtown road, Watson-Ormond said a pedestrian-focused space would boost foot traffic, foster community engagement and create a safer, more relaxing area for kids and outdoor dining. 

On Jan. 1 4,  the Carrboro Town Council held a work session to discuss the potential redesign of East Weaver Street. The Town’s planning department is exploring the possibility of transforming the downtown block from a two-way road into a pedestrian-focused area.

The proposal aligns with goals in the Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Plan, including reducing vehicle use, improving air quality and creating public spaces, according to a packet of information created by Town Planning and Transportation Administrator Tina Moon.   

East Weaver Street currently has a 30-feet-wide paved sidewalk within a 50-foot road with pedestrian access. On the north side of the street are Weaver Street Market and the Carr Mill Parking lot, while the south side is home to the Century Center, the police station and four local businesses: Tesoro, The Beehive, Spotted Dog Restaurant and Bar and rear access to Napoli.

In the work session, council member Jason Merrill said traffic congestion often increases between East Weaver Street and East Main Street around 5 p.m. He said redirecting traffic solely to Main Street, instead of using Weaver Street, could improve efficiency.  

“I want to make sure that we as a council hear directly from affected business owners, both on Weaver Street and Main Street,” Merrill said.

The Town Planning Department outlined three concepts for the potential redesign of the block: a pedestrian plaza, a meandering path and a bike/service lane. 

The first concept, the pedestrian plaza, would create a pedestrian-only space with barriers to block vehicle access and opportunities for businesses to expand dining areas into the plaza. 

The meandering path design incorporates spaces with options for bike use, using features like curves and textured surfaces to slow cyclists and prioritize safety. The third concept includes a 10-foot-wide designated bike lane, designed to slow cyclists down and create safe entry points into surrounding vehicular traffic.  

Renate Deckner, a community member, said she thinks the potential redesign of East Weaver Street would improve the community overall, although the traffic congestion caused by the street closing to vehicles concerns her. 

Rich Bell, another community member, said he loves the idea of increasing bicycle and pedestrian access, slower traffic and more integration with the open space in front of Weaver Street Market. 

Bell also said he uses the block to access the Carr Mill Mall to meet friends for food or coffee and to go back and forth between other parts of downtown. 

“I love that it’s typically a slow-traffic street with lots of people and activity on it,” Bell said. 

He said the redesign could only enhance the open space in front of Weaver Street Market and expand the publicly-shared open space — something Bell said was the area’s greatest asset.

Having recently returned to the area after spending a few decades away, Mary Hall said she is still adjusting to the traffic patterns and had to learn to slow down while driving through the area. Hall also said East Weaver Street facilitates easy access across town. 

“I think more pedestrian areas are a good idea. More bicycle areas are an excellent idea and keeping our carbon footprint as low as possible,” long-time resident Sarah King said. 

While there are no official plans for the area’s redesign yet, Town Manager Patrice Toney said the Town plans to review the material presented at the work session, assess data from Chapel Hill Transit and plan further engagement with impacted communities.

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