Council Seeks Input On Road Widening

In response to traffic problems on Weaver Dairy Road, the Chapel Hill Town Council voted 8-1 in September to send a proposal to the N.C. Department of Transportation to make the road three lanes along its entire length.

Weaver Dairy Road has been criticized by council members and residents because the number of lanes it has changes along its length, varying from two to four. The changing number of lanes is blamed for rear-end and left-turn collisions on the road, said council member Flicka Bateman.

The proposal calls for a consistent three-lane setup for the length of the road, with one lane of constant oncoming traffic and varying left and right turning lanes. It also suggested adding sidewalks and bike paths on both sides for pedestrians.

"(It's a) reasonable approach to take," Bateman said, adding that sidewalks and bike paths would enhance public safety.

Pat Evans was the only council member to vote against the three-lane proposal in September. "I think the center lane will be misused," Evans said. "I don't think it will be safe."

Evans said she favors a different setup with two lanes of constant traffic on each side and a turning lane in addition to the pedestrian walkways. "It should be a road that will serve us in the future and be a safe road," she said.

Council member Mark Kleinschmidt said the four-lane option would have its own safety concerns. "With four lanes, the tendency is to increase speed," he said.

Kleinschmidt said the council's proposal would maintain constant traffic flow and cut down on speed in residential neighborhoods.

Burwell Ware of Citizen Action for Responsible Roads said he hopes Thursday's meeting will feature many people showing their distaste for the NCDOT's proposed four-lane road instead of the council's approved three-lane proposal. He said the NCDOT should respect the wishes of the council since Weaver Dairy is a local road.

Ware added that a four-lane road would cost about $11.1 million, roughly $4.5 million more than in the three-lane proposal. "We just think it is a tremendous waste of money," he said.

Resident Tim Dempsey, who plans to speak at the public hearing, agreed that the council's proposal is the most advantageous to the area. "I think that it's a very reasonable proposal," he said.

NCDOT officials said they encourage area residents to attend Thursday's meeting and to express their opinions regarding the fate of the road. "We want to hear what the public has to say," said NCDOT Public Information Director Sherri Creech Johnson.

Dempsey said he wants residents to attend the meeting today and to voice their concerns to the NCDOT. "Time will tell whether the state was listening or not."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.