The council heard two residents of the South Columbia Street area speak and considered the information and opinions offered over the course of a three-month debate. Council members then voted unanimously against the request.
On March 1, Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy received a letter from Chancellor James Moser asking the town to consider the transformation of South Columbia into a four-lane roadway. The town had already approved other structural modifications to the area, including revamping the sidewalks and making way for bicycle lanes.
Moser's request was strongly advocated by UNC Hospitals officials, who believe a four-lane road would significantly improve access to hospital facilities by decreasing traffic congestion in the area.
But students and town residents expressed dissatisfaction with the proposal at public hearings. Concerned that widening South Columbia would attract more traffic, exacerbate parking problems and reduce the aesthetic appeal of the area, they urged the Town Council not to request the study.
Joan Bentelle, one of the residents who spoke, stressed that, "On paper, the east and west sides of South Columbia look symmetrical, but in reality they are just the opposite. The DOT would be unable to expand to the west side without the use of dynamite.
"Expansion to the east side would involve the removal of a valuable community day care center and the construction of several bridges," she said. "The result would be a half-mile of astronomically expensive roadway that doesn't make much economic sense."
The council did amend its previous resolution by adding more sideway construction.
Plans for a new UNC Facilities Maintenance Complex to be built directly northwest of the Elkin Hills neighborhood also generated criticism of the University by town residents.
Nearly 20 residents of the neighborhood attended Monday night's meeting in protest of the plan, which includes the construction of a 23-acre complex where chemical waste facilities, gasoline stations, pesticides, fuel containers and other environmentally unfriendly developments could be located.
