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East Weaver could see reopening celebration soon

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Susan Dickson

By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

CARRBORO – If construction work on East Weaver Street continues as planned over the next several days, the block could be opened by next weekend, with a reopening celebration possible upon completion of the work.

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen on Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve a tentative reopening celebration in which the street would be closed to cars but open to pedestrians and cyclists. However, the board didn’t schedule a date for the celebration, since the contractor is unsure when exactly the construction work will be finished because of weather and other factors.

Board member Sammy Slade proposed the event as a way to celebrate the businesses and community.

“I’ve heard of businesses on Weaver Street that have been helping each other out and it’s very encouraging to hear that,” he said. “I see this closing of the street as an opportunity to that end.”

The yearlong project to replace the street’s collapsing roadbed and the 80-year-old sewer line beneath it began in the east block in March and will move to the west block once the work on East Weaver is complete. East Weaver Street businesses have said the work – which has kept the block closed for several months – has hampered business and they are eager for the street to be opened.

“We’ve made considerable visible progress in getting the rock base down in place, and what’s called the binder course of asphalt was put down in the last two days,” said Carrboro Public Works director George Seiz. “We’re not done yet.”

Seiz said he and his staff have spoken with representatives of businesses on East Weaver Street – including the Spotted Dog, Maple View Ice Cream, the Beehive salon, Weaver Street Market and Carr Mill Mall – regarding the reopening celebration. All of the business representatives except for Nathan Milian, manager of Carr Mill Mall, said they would support delaying the reopening of the street to automobiles for a day in order to hold the reopening celebration, according to Seiz, who said Milian said he didn’t think the celebration would benefit businesses.

Town Manager Steve Stewart said it would be difficult for staff to plan a significant celebration because the date is uncertain. Slade said he would work to let the community know about it in a short period of time, since it is likely that the town will only have about 24 hours to spread the word.

Board member Randee Haven-O’Donnell voted against the measure.

“I’m not comfortable flying by the seat of our pants to make this happen,” she said. “I’m more concerned that the engineering and the construction go exactly as the people doing the work planned it to go. … I like the idea in theory, but in practice it’s becoming a nightmare.”

In other action Tuesday night, the board voted unanimously to approve its $18.5 million fiscal year 2011-12 budget, which includes no property-tax increase for the third year running.

1 thought on “East Weaver could see reopening celebration soon”

  1. Ralph Johansen says:
    September 26, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    I love how the businesses complain about the construction taking so long, but want to keep it closed for one more day. Obviously they learned all of their business sense from a book.

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