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Board of Aldermen considers parking study, pump track locations

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen discussed the location for an intermediate to advanced level pump track at their meeting on Tuesday. 

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen discussed the location for an intermediate to advanced level pump track at their meeting on Tuesday. 

There were three proposed locations for the pump track, which is a type of off-road terrain for cycle sport: Shetley land, Hank Anderson Park land and land near the Adams Tract.

During the public hearing on the location of a new pump track for intermediate to advanced riders, board members considered the location of the beginners’ track, which is already planned for Martin Luther King Jr. Park, close to the Shetley land.

“It is important to have the two close to each other, so the younger kids may be inspired by the older kids,” Board of Aldermen member Sammy Slade said. “I also think it is important that the park is within reasonable biking or walking distance.”

Many community members felt it was a bad idea to have the area cohabitated by teenagers and young children, for fear of safety.

They urged board members to consider the Hank Anderson Park instead of the Shetley property.

The board said they felt the Hank Anderson Park land was not as easy to access.

“To me, it is not a matter of distance, but a matter of ease of access — especially for young riders with little biking experience,” Board of Aldermen member Damon Seils said.

Board members also considered the importance of the planning of the Shetley property land, as it is currently fully-wooded and they hope to keep some vegetation.

“It is important that the land is designed well and is not a design that teaches 3-year-olds how to drive with stop signs,” Board of Aldermen member Jacquelyn Gist said.

The board decided to move forward with three options for the contractor considering the pump track in the Shetley property. These options would include the beginner’s track location being switched with the playground in MLK Jr. Park, having both tracks located in Shetley park or to follow the original layout.

The board then heard a presentation on a 2015 parking study. The report concluded that the town of Carrboro leases or owns 6555 parking spaces, or 16 percent of the town’s parking.

To resolve this issue, the study included a “5 Es” plan for education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation and engineering. The plan includes nine total projects which would create a total net gain of 623 parking spots through consistent signage, private to private property owner compromises and encouraging alternative modes of travel.

“I hope these relationships between private parking owners and encouraging the sharing of their lots becomes something the board approaches in this parking plan with rigor,” Seils said.

The board accepted the plan to develop a strategy and a timeline to implement the new parking resolution, while amending to also add plans for future biking and transit routes to mitigate exponential parking needs.

@sam_scott138

city@dailytarheel.com

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