TITLE: Title
Update on Starlite Drive Traffic Calming and Barred Owl Creek Traffic Calming
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide Council an update on the progress of the Starlite Drive Traffic Calming and Barred Owl Creek Traffic Calming projects.
body
DEPARTMENT: Planning, Public Works
CONTACT INFORMATION: Zachary Hallock, 919-918-7329, zhallock@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:zhallock@townofcarrboro.org>; Tina Moon, 919-918-7325, cmoon@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:cmoon@townofcarrboro.org>; Trish McGuire, 919-918-7327, pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org>; Joe Guckavan, 919-918-7427, jguckavan@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:jguckavan@townofcarrboro.org>
INFORMATION:
Starlite Drive Traffic Calming
In March 2020, Planning staff held a neighborhood meeting at the Piedmont Health Center with the residents of the Lloyd-Broad neighborhood. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the traffic calming process and to hear from the residents the problems they were facing on Starlite Drive so that solutions could be identified. Over the Summer of 2020, staff worked to identify solutions and begin development of a concept plan for the street. In February 2021, staff sent a mailing to the residents of the Lloyd-Broad neighborhood, seeking feedback on a proposed concept plan (Attachment A) for Starlite Drive. Feedback received indicated that ~90% of responses supported a speed table, ~90% of responses supported marking a centerline along the curve radius, and ~70% supported a curb extension using delineators. An update was provided to Council on April 6, 2021. More information can be found at: Town of Carrboro - File #: 21-65 <https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4853506&GUID=37C0331C-B949-4B5B-8F26-ED305BF9817C&Options=ID|Text|Attachments|Other|&Search=Starlite> From this information, staff began work on detailed design plans, a draft of which can be found as Attachment B. Staff currently anticipate completing the design within the next month. The turnaround from completed design to installation is approximately two months.
Barred Owl Creek - Carol Street Traffic Calming
In March 2020, Planning staff held a neighborhood meeting at Town Hall with the residents of the Barred Owl Creek (previously Planation Acres) neighborhood. The purpose of this meeting was to present data, listen to resident concerns and provide an overview of potential treatments. With that information, staff began working over the summer to identify potential solutions. In April 2021, staff were directed to develop and implement an interim traffic calming treatment. To do this, some details related to turning radii for fire trucks needed to be assessed through a traffic calming test which was held on May 20th at four locations (100 Block of James St, 100 Block of Carol St, 300 Block of Carol St, and Carol St @ Lorraine St). Staff used this information to make adjustments to the test layout to create an interim traffic calming concept plan. On Saturday, June 5, 2021 staff held a neighborhood meeting via Zoom to discuss the traffic calming test, the interim traffic calming plan, and to gather feedback from the neighbors. Slides that were presented at that meeting can be found as Attachment C. From conversations with the Town Engineer, the test installation that was placed on the 100 block of James Street will not continue for the interim installation. There are safety concerns for that location due to the high volume of traffic on that block that occurs when the post office driveway is open. Staff expect to reassess traffic calming at that location as part of the neighborhood-wide study. The concept level drawings for Carol Street interim traffic calming measures can be found as Attachment D. A number of questions came up in that meeting, which staff were unable to immediately respond to during that meeting; a series of Frequently Asked Questions with responses developed by staff can be found as Attachment E. Staff have begun procurement of delineators for the interim installation, and expect to be able to complete the installation sometime in July.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: There is no impact associated with receiving this report. An estimate for the Starlite Drive traffic calming project is $7,500. An estimate for the Barred Owl Creek interim traffic calming installation is $4,600 plus additional costs for signage. These are to be funded from existing traffic calming budget.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommend that Council receive the update and provide comments.