In light of recent crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists, the Chapel Hill Town Council heard updates on road safety. The town recently added new infrastructure like bike lanes and flashing beacons to protect residents who walk, roll and bike around Chapel Hill. Town staff and council members are also revisiting previous policies and goals for safety.
Vision Zero is a Town of Chapel Hill commitment to eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2031. The Chapel Hill Town Council adopted the Vision Zero Resolution in October to use as a guide in planning the design of streets and sidewalks as well as traffic enforcement.
Bergen Watterson, the Town of Chapel Hill transportation planning manager, said changes to the roads will not prevent crashes from occurring but Vision Zero can lower the risks in crashes.
“One of the most important things about Vision Zero is humans are going to make mistakes and crashes are going to happen,” Watterson said. “The goal that we have is to make the infrastructure and policy changes and infrastructure changes so that crashes when they do happen do not result in serious injury or death.”
While the Vision Zero project focuses on long-term goals, the Town of Chapel Hill has already implemented several short-term projects.
Rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) were installed on Estes Drive at Caswell Road and on Homestead Road at Aquatic Center Drive. Bike lanes were completed on Country Club Road and Europa Drive. High visibility crosswalks were also implemented at the intersection of Mitchell Lane and Roberson Street.
Town staff announced plans to additional bike lanes and multiuse paths and sidewalks to other roads in the town later this year. One of those roads is Ephesus Church Road which is scheduled to be resurfaced and repaved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation this summer.
Michael Parker urged town staff to do as much as possible in improving road safety as fast as possible.
“There were a number of things mentioned that might not happen for several months,” Parker said. “I think that anything we can do to do things faster is only to the good. This is an urgent problem, and I think we need to treat it with that level of urgency.”
Other council members shared their thoughts on long-term focuses for the town that could also improve safety.
Amy Ryan said investment in the greenways of the town could provide better infrastructure for bikers and pedestrians.
“One of the ways to make bike riding really safe is to actually separate that mode of transportation off the roads,” Ryan said. “I know that’s not going to be possible everywhere, but there are communities that have invested in a very strong network of greenways and paths that are off-road, that don’t conflict with cars, and that can really serve as a transportation network.”
Karen Stegman said the town has a mobility and connectivity plan ready to go, but it needs more funding.
“I think we’ve been a little too reactive waiting for things to happen when development happens and it’s expensive,” Stegman said. “It’s expensive, there’s no question, but it is taking too long. We have to be more ambitious about getting this infrastructure in place. If it doesn’t feel safe, people aren’t going to use it.”
Stegman took it even further saying safety goals affect many of the town’s priorities.
“This is a climate issue,” Stegman said. “This is a land use issue. This is an equity issue. This touches on all the priorities we say we have and I know we all care about it.”
Town staff said next steps include working with the NCDOT on speed safety studies and implementing small scare pedestrian improvements throughout the town.
Featured photo via Town of Chapel Hill
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