Write to the Carrboro Board and the MPO

At a Carrboro Board of Aldermen hearing on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, a Metropolitan Transportation Plan for 2045 identified regional routes of connections, including connections between Carrboro and Chapel Hill, specifically citing a “Bolin Creek Trail (off-road).”  This sneaky attempt to get the creek trail baked into future transportation plan subverts what the Board promised 2 years ago: that there would be an open process that would be communicated with the public. It was surprising that the Board refused to take public comment.

Action Requested

  1. Be respectful, no profanities or personal attacks.
  2. Write a personal email to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen expressing your concern: that despite being told there would be an open public process that would be communicated, they are ignoring their earlier promises. boa@townofcarrboro.org
  3. Write Andy Henry Andrew.Henry@durhamnc.gov at the MPO to get your opinion into the record that you are opposed to the paved path in the forest.  Send cc’s to
    Christina Moon, Carrboro Planning:  <CMoon@townofcarrboro.org>
    and Cathy Dorando, Carrboro Clerk:  <CDorando@townofcarrboro.org>
  4. Tweet the Carrboro BOA @CarrboroTownGov, include @bolin_creek, demanding they stop trying to pave alongside Bolin Creek.  Save Bolin Creek!
  5. Sign the petition if you haven’t already https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-bolin-creek.html

Talking Points

  1. As seen by the failure of the connector trail over Bolin Creek by Homestead (cost overruns, excessive creekside destruction due to poor planning), there should not be disturbances next to the creek, especially a paved greenway.
  2. I support more bicycle and pedestrian connections, just not alongside our town’s cherished natural area.
  3. There are better alternatives to connect the high school complex to Carolina North and the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill.  A Seawell School greenway is the way to go. (this is the best option.  Period).  See the map here.
  4. The forest is shrinking dramatically – as seen by construction along Homestead Road – we need to protect it while we can.
  5. I am concerned that despite extensive public comment on this issue over the past three years specifically and large numbers of youth engaged as well in this issue, the Board has rebuffed their constituents and citizens and appears to be continuing to operate in a secretive manner.
  6. Constituents and large numbers of youth spoke out for a consensus around the greenway that intersected the CHHS XC course. The BOA said that their plans would not spare the XC course due to time and cost constraints.  The BOA went ahead with their plans. That project is now well beyond the schedule quoted by the BOA and town staff.  It was disingenuous to say there was no time to do the project right, and now it is worse than could ever be imagined.
  7. When will the Carrboro BOA listen to their constituents and their citizens? We are concerned with this evasive process and demand transparency.
  8. Remove the Creekside trail reference from Appendix 4 immediately.