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The Daily Tar Heel
Town Talk

Board of Aldermen vote to hold public hearing on open streets project

At a meeting Tuesday, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted to hold a public hearing May 26 to discuss blocking off the 100 block of Weaver Street from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for three Sundays this summer.

The area would be closed for a pilot "open streets" project, which would allow bikers and pedestrians to travel and play in a protected area temporarily closed to motor vehicle traffic.

The dates of the closures are tentatively set for the third Sundays in June and July and the fourth Sunday in August. These dates will be further discussed at the public hearing.

Some aldermen brought up concerns about the economic value of blocking off that area of town.

“We’re talking about a small space, but one that has big impact on traffic,” alderwoman Bethany Chaney said. "If we could combine this with an economic objective, I would be much more comfortable with the cost."

The estimated cost for the project is about $2,000 to $2,200 per Sunday. This cost includes paying public works personnel overtime, an arrow board rental for lane closure on Main Street and a message board rental.

Alderman Damon Seils said the project could actually be beneficial for nearby businesses, depending on how they are able to use the open space.

“I see this as a good opportunity for businesses on or near Weaver Street,” he said.

Alderman Sammy Slade said the board should also consider the open streets events as not being used to necessarily make money, but instead as an opportunity for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy themselves.

"I would like us to err on the side of it just being public space," Slade said. "It would be really nice to have something simple."

Businesses in the area have not yet even been part of the planning process for the project, Alderwoman Randee Haven-O'Donnell said.

"I really don’t want the message to get out in the public hearing that this is business-driven," she said.

The resolution to hold the public hearing passed unanimously.

Alderwoman Michelle Johnson said that although the open streets events might take some getting used to, the town would use their experiences this summer to decide what changes could be made.

"It's going to take all summer to figure it out," she said.  

Notable: The board also unanimously approved an agreement saying that the town of Carrboro will partner with High Street Design to hold a monthly arts and crafts market in the Town Commons. 

Quotable: "I encourage the community to go into it with an open mind, expecting the best, not the worst," Alderman Sammy Slade said in reference to the pilot open streets project. 

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