The Carrboro Council instructed the staff to conduct an “engagement process” to determine preferences for a new bikeway based on the 2009 Greenways Conceptual Plan which lacks one important route option. Friends of Bolin Creek in December 2009 presented the Seawell School Road to the Board and asked that it be included in any further study and discussion. In the Carolina North Agreement signed by UNC and Chapel Hill, UNC agreed to build and fund an off-road bike path along Seawell School Road. When the General Assembly did not fund the new campus, the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro placed it on the Metropolitan Planning organization’s list for future funding.We believe asking for public input before an engineering and cost study is conducted for the various route options in unwise and makes the public input process meaningless.
We urge you take the survey anyway and add the missing information by writing in comments such as:
- The Seawell School Road alternative is the most cost effective and direct of all known routes.
- Hold up further public input until the Town has conducted a feasibility study of all routes that estimates costs and environmental impacts.
- Support the “Upland Forest Alignment” since it achieves both a recreation and transportation corridor and doesn’t cause ecological damage to the sensitive riparian zone along Bolin Creek.