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Get involved in Carolina North dialogue

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Staff

By Julie Mcclintock

At times, grassroots actions can advance community dialogue about local problems better than official meetings. This happened on May 3, when over 100 Chapel Hill and Carrboro citizens exchanged ideas about traffic concerns and transportation solutions with other citizens, members of the Chapel Hill Town Council and UNC officials, at a single-issue meeting, “Carolina North: Don’t Get Stuck in Traffic.” Neighbors for Responsible Growth (NRG) facilitated six neighborhood focus groups and conducted an online survey, which was completed by nearly 600 citizens from over 50 neighborhoods in advance of the community forum. All the concerns, ideas and solutions and the final report can be found at nrg-nc.net.

While some of the recommendations in the NRG report already enjoy the support of Chapel Hill Town and university officials, many will require additional discussion and anticipated action from the Chapel Hill Town Council, the regulatory body for the first phase of Carolina North. The overriding concern we heard from everyone was what can be done about the severe traffic congestion predicted for traveling to work, schools and stores in northern Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Carrboro neighborhoods too voiced their concerns. The future Carolina North campus, twice the size of Southpoint, will cause significant traffic congestion on many streets, including Martin Luther King, Seawell School, Homestead, Piney Mountain and Estes Drive.

Based on the suggestions and surveys, we recommend four key points that must be put in the Development Agreement (the contract between UNC and the Town of Chapel Hill) to maintain public involvement and to retain our ability to move and work in our community:

1. Mandate public transit. Set parking limits for the new campus to require us to rely on (mass) transit, not automobiles. Current Chapel Hill recommendations for adding turning lanes and extra buses and encouraging more bikers simply are not adequate to keep us mobile.

2. Ensure public participation. Require public participation around each transportation impact analysis (TIA), short-range transit plans and other key milestones in the transportation planning process. Appoint a citizen liaison to coordinate communication between local neighborhoods, the towns and the university on issues pertaining to Carolina North development. Make the Town of Carrboro a more active participant in transportation planning decisions related to Carolina North. An open and vigorous dialogue promotes confidence in local governance and the process, and will set a positive precedent for public participation throughout the build-out of Carolina North.

3. Develop a bike and walking plan now. Biking and walking facilities are expensive and need to be built into the agreement and tied to building occupancy so all parties are committed to the implementation of these improvements. Town congestion and traffic studies demonstrate that only an aggressive commitment to building dedicated facilities for bike and pedestrian transit will enable us to move people around safely.

4. Ensure safeguards for neighborhoods. Agree to conduct a new TIA every three years, instead of five, during the build-out of this first phase for Carolina North. Doing so will ensure that the planners’ assumptions are corrected and updated more frequently to avoid unaddressed traffic problems. Ensure that transportation improvements outlined in the most recent TIA are fully implemented before new buildings are occupied at Carolina North. You can see the entire report at nrg-nc.net for the remainder of the recommendations.

NRG will present these points to the UNC Board of Trustees at the last scheduled joint town-gown discussion on Carolina North. If you want to be part of the solution, contact your elected officials in Chapel Hill and Carrboro and join us on May 21 at 7 p.m. at Extraordinary Ventures, 200 South Elliot Road, site of the former gas company.

Become involved in your future!

Julie McClintock is a member of the Neighbors for Responsible Growth and a former member of the Chapel Hill Town Council.

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