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Reimagining East Weaver Street - Update and Next Steps
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to provide an update on the next steps relating to the conversion of East Weaver Street to a bicycle and pedestrian only corridor. It continues the Town Council’s initial discussion of the matter during the January 14, 2025, work session and subsequent review of a capacity study on June 17, 2025.
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Department
DEPARTMENT: Planning
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Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
___ Race/Equity ___ Climate ___ Comprehensive Plan _X_ Other
Council Direction Statement
Reimagining East Weaver Street as a pedestrian- and bike-focused space in the downtown area will have implications to the experience of residents and visitors to Carrboro. Staff have provided considerations related to the race and equity, climate, safety, and economic development goals of the project that build on those presented at the January 2025 worksession and the June 17, 2025, Town Council meeting. Pocket questions have been provided as (Attachments B & C).
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Information
INFORMATION: On January 14, 2025, the Town Council held a work session to discuss the possibility of converting East Weaver Street from a two-way street to a pedestrian plaza with bicycle access. At the conclusion of the January work session, the Council directed staff to conduct a capacity study to better understand the potential impacts of the street closure.
On June 17, 2025, staff presented the results from the draft capacity study, illustrating projected impacts to level-of-service and vehicle queueing. Lisa Lundeen with Exult Engineering, the consultant firm who prepared the analysis, showed different simulations of the model and answered questions. The Council directed staff to continue to work with the consultant team to finalize the study to address NCDOT comments, and to reach out to surrounding businesses and residents to make sure that they knew about the project and had an opportunity to comment.
Capacity Study Updates
NCDOT has completed its review of the capacity study. The finalized study has been posted to the project webpage, <https://www.carrboronc.gov/3149/Reimagining-East-Weaver-Street>
NCDOT has approved the conversion contingent on the inclusion of the consultant’s recommended modification to pavement markings to mitigate anticipated impacts largely related to vehicle queueing. Recommendations for the closure are listed below. Of note, the final version of the study includes some minor changes to the illustrations in the June 17th PowerPoint.
• Omitting the recommended conversion of the northbound loading zone on South Greensboro (at E Main) to a travel lane since there is not sufficient pavement width to accommodate four lanes.
• Retaining the 100 block of Maple Avenue as one-way southbound due to anticipated queueing and level-of-service impacts across the study area.
• NCDOT recommends that the remaining lane reallocations and stop bar adjustments-identified in the study as ‘Build with Improvements’ scenario-are completed in tandem with the closure of the corridor.
Engagement
After direction from the Town council in June to ensure equitable outreach to downtown business owners and residents in historically Black and African American neighborhoods, staff took the following actions:
• Developed outreach materials for in-person engagement events strategically focusing on Lloyd-Broad and Tin Top neighbors, as well as historically marginalized communities related to the Downtown Area Plan.
o Open House at St. Paul’s AME
o Open House at Community School for People Under Six
o Carrboro in Motion at Royal Park Apartments
o Carrboro in Motion at Collins Crossing
• At engagement events community members were provided with both a pre-addressed letter to Town Hall with a comment card and a space at the event to write their response, questions and concerns, and level of support for the project.
• Planning staff mailed letters on September 18, 2025, to business and property owners in proximity to the study area, residents of Lloyd-Broad, Tin Top, and residents along North and South Greensboro, Main, and Braxton Foushee streets.
Social District
Town staff have reviewed the state statutes that authorize local governments to create a common area social district (N.C.G.S. 18B-300.1). A social district designation and an amendment to the Town Code would be necessary to allow for the expansion of alcoholic consumption into the public right-of-way (for restaurants with frontage along the corridor). Requirements for designation of a social district are as follows: (1) conspicuous signage about the boundaries and hours, (2) a management and maintenance plan for the district, (3) detailed map, (4) signage for businesses that are participating and not participating, and (5) non-glass containers with specific identifying information about the district and business.
At the Town Council’s discretion, town staff can prepare information, including the statutorily required materials and anticipated fiscal impacts for branding and materials to bring back at a future Town Council meeting.
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Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: The Town Engineer’s updated preliminary estimate to convert East Weaver Street to a bike-ped only corridor is approximately $304,000. This includes design and construction for signal changes, physical barricades, new pavement markings, etc
The adopted FY26-FY30 CIP identifies $200,000 for the cost of closing the street. Should the project move forward, staff will need to identify a source for the additional funds and bring forth a budget amendment at a future meeting to increase the project budget by approximately $104,000. This could occur in tandem with a resolution to award the construction contracts.
It should be noted that the engineer’s estimate is only for the closure and does not include costs toward the creation of a plaza space within the existing public right-of-way.
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Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: The Town Manager recommends that the Town Council receive the information.
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