The town of Chapel Hill held a groundbreaking ceremony for Bolin Creek Trail Saturday to mark the initiation of the trail extension project under Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard westward to Pritchard Avenue Extension.
At the ceremony, which coincided with National Trail Day, town council member Donna Bell spoke about the accessibility, safety, connectivity and water control that the extension will provide, referring to Bolin Creek Trail as a “jewel to Chapel Hill.”
Project manager William Webster said that eventually people will start to leave their cars behind and use the town's trail network to get around.
“We know from other communities, that once your trail system connects to enough things people will start using them for transportation to get from point A to point B,” Webster said.
The Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department installed a counter on the trail in January. That month 13,580 counts were recorded.
As many as 18,123 counts have been recorded this year.
Phase one of the extension project will include the addition of a tunnel under Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard so pedestrians can avoid crossing traffic.
Eventually, another tunnel is planned to be built under Pritchard Avenue Extension.
A 10 foot-wide paved path will be built alongside the creek that parallels Umstead Drive. The project includes the construction of a new bridge, the renovation of the bridge on Umstead Drive and the construction of retaining walls.
Webster explained that retaining walls are necessary because the trail will wrap on the sides of slopes.
Construction will start on the project on June 29.
“The land itself has a huge amount of value,” Webster said.
When the town purchases properties for public access, it can protect wildlife and creeks, he said.
Before the ceremony began, community members were invited to look at the design plans for the project. Webster explained that with the addition of the bridges and the tunnel, hikers will only cross a few roads: Umstead Drive, Bolin Wood Drive and Dickerson Court.
Phase one of the extension project will cost $2 million.
A proposed bond of $40.3 million, to be voted on in November 2015, could provide more money to continue the project to eventually connect the trail to Umstead Park.
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