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Aldermen to reconsider road connectivity policy

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Staff

By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

After hearing from concerned residents about a proposed connector road between a proposed addition to the Claremont development and the Wexford neighborhood, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted on Tuesday to revisit the town’s connector road policy.

The board heard from residents in a public hearing regarding Phases IV and V of Claremont, across from the development’s first three phases on Homestead Road.
“We really need to go back and examine our connector road policy and see if it’s meeting our needs,” board member Jackie Gist said. “I think that the things we thought were wrong with it are coming up again.”

The board of aldermen approved the Connector Roads Policy in 1986, as development in the northern areas of town was beginning. The policy seeks “to ensure that old and new developments and businesses in town connect to each other, both to disperse newly generated traffic and to give a sense of connectivity and unity to the town as it grew,” according to the policy.

However, residents have argued that the connector policy requires connector roads that cause increases in traffic in neighborhoods in which the roads aren’t designed to handle it. In Claremont Phases IV and V, the development would connect to Wexford via Colfax Drive, essentially providing a cut-through from Homestead Road to Hillsborough Road.

The proposed development includes 27 townhomes and 69 single-family homes. According to the developer, the development is expected to generate 58 vehicle trips per day through the Colfax Drive connection.

Ronni Gardner, a resident of Colfax Drive, said that because the neighborhoods the connector road would adjoin are within the walk zone for McDougle Elementary and Middle schools, adding the road would be especially unsafe for children.

“Our children are accustomed to walking to school with very little vehicle traffic,” she said. “It’s a major safety concern for all of us, but particularly our children.”
Gardner said she would support a connecting sidewalk or bike path in place of a road.

“I have never made a connection with a neighbor while driving in my car,” she said. “We should be connecting our neighborhoods with walkways and bike paths.”
Residents also expressed concerns regarding the safety of the development’s proposed path under the Homestead Road bridge over Bolin Creek. Residents of the proposed phases of Claremont would use the path to cross Homestead Road to get to amenities in the areas of the first three phases of the development.

The proposed path is a concrete structure over the creek, which some residents said would flood with a heavy rain and create unsafe conditions for cyclists and pedestrians.

In other town business, the board postponed a public hearing on the proposed Colleton Crossing development until Feb. 24 so the developer can explore other options and potentially revise proposals previously made to the board. Those who would like to comment on the development but are unable to attend the meeting should email comments to townmanager@townofcarrboro.org

1 thought on “Aldermen to reconsider road connectivity policy”

  1. penny_wise says:
    February 5, 2009 at 6:27 am

    The comment regarding making the connection using sidewalks and bike trails is interesting. The road right of way should be dedicated. The connection should be made using sidewalks and a trail to connect the two segments of road. Roads can be upgraded to handle the traffic volume -that includes the possible bike path. Once an ROW is abandoned and a house is built on it, there is very little likelihood of ever going back to a vacant lot and making the connection.”

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