Concerns have been high when it comes to cyclist and pedestrian safety along Estes Drive. Now, the Chapel Hill Town Council must choose one of three proposed plans to increase bike and pedestrian friendliness within this area of Chapel Hill.
David Bonk, long range and transportation planning manager for Chapel Hill, said the three alternatives are different in their own ways. The first includes buffered bike lanes that increase the distance between cyclists and cars, along with a 12-foot multi-use path on the north side of the street.
“That’s the consistent element of all three plans, the path on the north side of Estes,” Bonk said.
The second alternative consists of raised, separated bike lanes behind the curb and next to the sidewalk and a multi-use path.
Bonk said the third alternative is an attempt to address some of the concerns from the public about the extent of the widening through the whole corridor. Instead of bike lanes, there would be a multi-use path on both the north and south sides of Estes Drive.
Bonk said overall, the preferred option seems to be the second.
“(The public's) preference would be to get bikes off the road if they can,” Bonk said. “By the same token they do want to have separate facilities for experienced bicyclists and then separate inexperienced bicyclists and pedestrians on a multi-use path.”
Not everyone prefers the second option, though.
Chapel Hill resident Mara Saskin said she likes the buffered bike lanes and a separate multi-use path, since she has concerns about cyclists and pedestrians colliding on a multi-use path.
