Agenda - 02-16-1988 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

• Pittsboro/Columbia One-Way Pair: In the course of the Thoroughfare Plan Revision public hearing process, public comment was received relating to the proposed extension of Pittsboro Street north of Cameron Avenue to intersect with Airport Road, north of Rosemary Street. The Pittsboro Extension was approved as part of the 1984 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Thoroughfare Plan and included in the 1986 analysis of the adequacy of the adopted plan. NC 86/Airport Road/Columbia Street is the principal north/south spine of the Town's thoroughfare system. This corridor provides the primary access to the Town Center/University/Memorial Hospital area. Continuing employment growth in the Town Center and at the University, as well as increased medical services at Memorial Hospital will result in significantly increased traffic along this corridor. The proposed extension of Pittsboro Street and implementation of one-way pairing with Columbia Street will provide needed additional capacity to this thoroughfare which provides Chapel Hill its only north-south crosstown route. Conversion to one-way operation, which increases each travel lane's efficiency by 50 to 80 percent, will reduce stops and delay experienced at the Franklin/Columbia and Columbia/Rosemary intersections, while greatly improving safety conditions for the area's many pedestrians and bicyclists. The improvement of this corridor will also reduce the amount of "cut- through" traffic using local streets due to the increased congestion along Columbia Street. As in the previous Chapel Hill-Carrboro Thoroughfare Plan, this proposal is considered an essential long-range element of the Plan, the absence of which will gradually become increasingly appreciated. It should be indicated on the Plan so that the Town can protect the needed right-of- way as Town Center property continues to be redeveloped. 4.11