Residents call for a bike path

Before ground has even been broken at Carolina North, the town is already trying to figure out how residents would like to move between main campus and the new satellite research campus.

Residents gave their answer at a forum Tuesday. They want to bike safely and conveniently.

The town of Chapel Hill hosted a meeting in University Square to get input on a bike path’s location and how to create it.

Carolina North will be a satellite research campus and mixed-use development to be built about two miles from campus off of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Construction is not slated to begin on the campus for several years.

Most of the meeting’s roughly 40 attendants were Chapel Hill or Carrboro residents who said they bike to get around and are interested in seeing more local bike pathways.

Many identified safety as their chief concern. Some suggested lighting the path, installing blue light emergency stations and keeping town or University police nearby.

“The planning of Carolina North has been beautiful,” said Bill Bishop, a graduate student at UNC. “The path should make the finished product beautiful and should be safe enough so that people will use it.”

He also said Carolina North will have a great economic impact, so it’s important that there are many different ways to commute.

Others had topographic concerns.

“If it is too steep, people won’t use it,” said Chapel Hill resident Will Raymond.

Each of the proposed routes runs parallel to railroad tracks, which would provide a direct and flat way to get from main campus to Carolina North.

One of the proposed paths starts on West Cameron Avenue, continues via Limstead Park to Lloyd Street and goes parallel to the railroad. Then it reaches Estes Drive and ends in Seawell School Road.

“This connection will become the centerpiece of other bike paths that will join other sections of the town,” said Douglas MacLean, a UNC faculty member. “It is important to think big and not to be hampered by the upsets.”

The public opinions on the path will be presented to Chapel Hill Town Council on Jan. 11.



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu