Chapel Hill Transit recently opened a public comment period on changes made to the North-South Bus Rapid Transit Project (N-S BRT).

Updates to the project require construction and minor changes to local parks and trails. This includes Southern Community Park Fan Branch Trail, Bolin Creek Trail, Carolina North Forest and Homestead Park and Upper Booker Trail.

Changes to parks and trails could include temporary closures due to construction equipment or permanent removal of strips of the trail to accommodate BRT guideways and stations.

At Southern Community Park, temporary construction will occupy 0.16 acres of the park. The town said, however, The construction would not affect park or trail use permanently. Construction along this area also includes new sidewalks and bike paths to improve long-term park access.

Permanent acquisition of 0.56 acres of Fan Branch Trail will be used to build a retaining wall. The town said there will not be permanent adverse effects to trail use.

Near Bolin Creek Trail, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard will be widened to add BRT guideway and new bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Access to Bolin Creek Trail from the MLK Jr. Blvd. entrance will be temporarily closed. The existing access points to Bolin Creek Trail will eventually be accompanied by a new shared-use path, sidewalk and bike path.

Guideways and bike-ped facilities along MLK Jr. Blvd. will also require the temporary construction along 1.27 acres of the Carolina North Forest. This construction will temporarily impact access and use of the forest and trails. The town said long-term access will be improved through new sidewalks and separated bike paths along MLK Jr. Blvd.

Permanent acquisitions will be made along Homestead Park and Upper Booker Trail for new MLK Jr. Blvd. bike-ped facilities.  The town said construction may temporarily affect trail access.

Construction of the eight mile N-S BRT route is not expected to begin until 2024, but the town is in the process of finalizing its design for the project.

The comment period will be open until Thursday, September 16.

To comment on these proposed park and trail changes click here.

 

Featured photo via Town of Chapel Hill

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