Title
Request to Approve a Resolution Authorizing the Town Manager to Execute a Municipal Agreement with NCDOT for Three Signalized Pedestrian Crossings Along NC 54.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is for the Town Council to consider authorizing the Town Manager to enter into a Municipal Agreement with NCDOT for the construction of signalized pedestrian crossings along NC 54 at Westbrook Drive, Abbey Lane and Kingswood Apartments.
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Department
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Finance
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Contact
CONTACT INFORMATION: Christina Moon, Planning Administrator, 919-918-7325, cmoon@carrboronc.gov <mailto:cmoon@carrboronc.gov>; Patricia McGuire, Planning Director, 919-918-7327, pmcguire@carrboronc.gov <mailto:pmcguire@carrboronc.gov>; Arche McAdoo, Finance Director, 919-918-7439; AMcAdoo@carrboronc.gov <mailto:AMcAdoo@carrboronc.gov>; Nick Herman, Town Attorney, 919-929-3905, herman@broughlawfirm.com <mailto:herman@broughlawfirm.com>
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Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
___ Race/Equity ____ Climate ____ Comprehensive Plan __X__Other
Council Direction Statement
Pedestrian activated signals were identified in the NC 54 Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Study (2019) to improve safe access to transit stops along the NC 54 corridor.
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Information
INFORMATION: At the request of Chapel Hill Transit, the Town of Chapel Hill and the Town of Carrboro, NCDOT engaged VHB to prepare a pedestrian and bicycle safety study along NC 54 with a focus on providing safe access to transit stops. The study was completed in 2019 with a number of recommendations, including the installation of signalized pedestrian crossings at three locations with high ridership and where pedestrians frequently cross the highway to access a bus stops (Westbrook Drive, Abbey Lane and Kingswood/Laurel Ridge).
The project (TIP # BL-0044) is a collaboration between NCDOT, the Town of Chapel Hill and the Town of Carrboro. NCDOT has offered to manage the design, bid and construction of the project. Design is approaching completion, and NCDOT has prepared municipal agreements for the towns to address cost-sharing for the project. The total project cost is approximately $1,570,500. Funding sources include state SPOT safety funds to cover design and portions of construction, federal STBGDA funds, competitive STBG funds and local match from the Town of Chapel Hill. The Town of Carrboro has been allocated Orange County Transit Funds to use for the project, which will also be used to cover the local match.
The crossings will further the bike/ped network by providing safe crossings across NC 54, connecting the neighborhoods south of NC 54 to the downtown area and eventually the apartments along the north side of NC 54 to Carrboro High School and University Lake, by way of the Morgan Creek Greenway. The signalized crossings also provide improved transit access for some of the larger apartment complexes (Carolina Apartments, Royal Park, Kingswood) that are in Qualified Census Tracts.
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Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: The cost of the project is approximately $1,570,500, with approximately $1,410,000 for construction. The Town of Carrboro’s portion is $150,000; Orange County Transit Funds have been allocated to cover the full $150,000.
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Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: The Town Manager recommends that the Town Council consider the attached resolution (Attachment A) authorizing the Manger to execute a Municipal Agreement with NCDOT to construct the project.
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