Agenda - 02-26-1979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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STATEP1Eh'I TO MAYOR .JA-MES C. WALLACE AND THE BOARD OF ALDEItHEN OF THE TOtNct OF CHAPLE, HILL ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTHWEST CO-fDIUNIT'i PRESERVATION ALLIANCE REGARD- ING THE PROPOSED SOUTRERN BYPASS 'IiHOROUGHHFARE AROUND CHAPEL HILL AND CARRBORO SUDt-IARY OF PETITION 1. The Southwest Community )Preservation Alliance consists of residents of the area along Jone:; Ferry, Damascus Church, and Mann's Chapel Roads which would be adversely affected by the presently proposed routes of the Southern Bypass around Chapel Hill. and Carrboro to the west. Consequently, this Alliance is opposed to the presently proposed routes of this road. 2. Each of the various routes of the proposed Southern Bypass would cross several of the major creeks and streams which feed into University Lake, and consequently this road would increase the siltation and pollution of the lake and thus increase the problems of acquiring and maintaining an adequate water supply for Chapel. Hill. One route would pass through the ecological, forest established by the University in the University Lal:e watershed. 3. Since the proposed Southern Bypass to the west would connect with State Route 54 and State Road 3.005, an examination of the data of the External Origin and Destination Traffic Survey for Chapel. Hill which was made in 1971 (the latest survey of this type) shows that only 10% of the traffic on those roads was through traffic involving origins yr destinations beyond Chapel Hill. If this through traffic from or to N�C. 54 West and 1005 West was distributed in proportion to the total traffic on the principal exit roads to the north, east, and south, such traffic would account for only 1.4% of the total traffic on 15-501 bypass. Consequently, the proposed road would have only a slight and almost negligible effect toward relieving traffic congestion is Chapel Hill., 4. The proposed Southern Bypass Thoroughfare s:nuld encourage the development of a shopping center at one of the interchanges west of Carrboro, and this shopping center would contribute to further deterioration of business activity in the centers of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. 5. In view of the potentially destructive consequences of the presently pro- posed routes of the Southern Bypass Thoroughfare around Chapel Hill to the west, we urge that a decision concerning the recommendation of this portion of the Thoroughfare Plan for Chapel Hill be delayed by the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen pending a thorough study of the impacts upon our rural community, the University Lake watershed, and the central business district of the town vis-a-vis the apparently limited benefits of this road in relieving traffic congestion, Mayor Wallace and Members of the Board of Aldermen of Chapel Bill, I am grateful for this opportunity to speak to you as Chairman of the Southwest Community Preservation Alliance in opposition to the presently proposed routes of the Southern Bypass Thoroughfare around Chapel Hill and Carrboro to the Nest. The Southwest 'Community Preservation Alliance consists of residents of communities which are located along Jones Ferry Road west of University Lake, Damascus Church Road, and portions of MLinn's Chapel Road, and State Roads 1946 and 1948. This Alliance includes residents of developments known as Wolf's Pond, Carolina Forest, Spring Hill Forest, Cram-.Ian 'Hills, Tua?rey Run, Loop Road and Heath's Development. After only a two-week period of organization this Alliance has 168 members, and the list is growing daily. We have liaison with other coranunity