Orange County NC Website
however, dedicated easements and greenways may also be used. Potential walk zone <br />access routes, dedicated easements, and greenways are judged for safety, sight lines, <br />ADA compliance, lighting, and entrance and exit points. If conditions do not meet these <br />criteria, a walk zone may be shorter than the 1.5 -mile limit or may not be permitted at all <br />by the school board. The school district does not provide school bus transportation to <br />students residing inside designated walk zones. <br />The Chapel Hill — Carrboro City Schools Board of Education has not yet established a <br />walk zone for Carrboro High. However, based on past practices, the new walk zone <br />should serve approximately 71 students once it is created. If sidewalks were extended <br />along Culbreth School Road and Smith Level Road, an additional 50 students could walk <br />to school, assuming safety requirements were met. If the greenway, which as been <br />discussed, between. Southern Village to Smith Level were built, additional areas could <br />most likely be added to the walk zone. <br />Frank Porter Graham Elementary School currently has a very small walk zone. However, <br />if sidewalks were built along Culbreth School Road and Smith Level Road and the <br />Carrboro section of the Morgan Creek greenway to the east of Smith Level were built, <br />approximately 100 more students could walk to school. If the Chapel Hill section of the <br />Morgan Creek greenway to the west of Smith Level were also completed, 80 more <br />students could walk. Again, all the access routes must be determined to be safe for <br />youngsters to use as their only means of access to and from school. <br />Finally, extension of Culbreth Middle School's walk zone was considered. Currently, <br />many students walk to school along sidewalks and along a dedicated easement near the <br />track that connects to Southern Village. Within the 1.5 -mile limit, there are no <br />infrastructure improvements that would extend the walk zone. <br />Recommendations for Improving Non - Vehicular Access <br />Along the Southern Section of Smith Level Road <br />Recommendations for the section of Smith Level Road between Rock Haven and 15 -501 <br />(the southern section) will be presented separately from the task force's response to the <br />TIP project for the section of the road that falls within the Carrboro town limits. <br />The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, part of the UNC Highway Safety <br />Research Center, identifies the following strategies for improving pedestrian safety: <br />• Reduce speed of motor vehicles. <br />• Reduce volume of motor vehicles. <br />• Reduce exposure time for pedestrians. <br />• Improve access and mobility for all pedestrians, especially those with disabilities. <br />• Encourage walking by improving aesthetics, safety, and security. <br />• Improve compliance with traffic laws (motorists and pedestrians). <br />• Eliminate behaviors that lead to crashes (motorists and pedestrians). <br />Page 4 of 8 <br />