The Case For the Connecting Durham Bonds

Resources for early voting 

• You can vote at any early voting location in your county any day through November 2nd. See locations and hours here. 

• You can register to vote or update your registration when voting at these locations.

• As a reminder, you’ll be asked to show photo ID this year. However, if you don’t have photo ID you can still vote! You’ll just need to fill out an “ID Exception Form” when voting. Here’s some information about voting with or without photo ID: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id

Early voting is underway and we urge you to get out and vote yes for both Connecting Durham bonds on the back of the ballot - one for sidewalks and streets and one for parks.

This Spring, Bike Durham members advocated for the Council to put a referendum on the ballot to fund greater investment in sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and traffic calming. Since then, we have been teaming with the members of the Connecting Durham Campaign Committee, including Council members Caballero and Rist to inform Durham residents about the benefits that both the sidewalk and street bond referendum and the parks bond referendum will bring to Durham.

We feel strongly that these bond referenda are the right choice for the residents of Durham. Here’s why:

These projects match our values

Whether a long-time resident of Northeast Central Durham or a new resident near Southpoint, whether a worker at Duke Medical Center or in a restaurant kitchen, Durham residents have consistently said that improving our sidewalks, streets, and public transit system are among their top five priorities for investment (2022 resident survey, page viii). Most of us want a Durham that is inclusive and thriving. That requires a transportation system that works for everyone, whether walking, biking, using transit, or in a car. And we can have that by building and maintaining complete networks of sidewalks, protected bike facilities, safe streets, and great transit.

We have been held back from having the transportation system that we want and deserve because past leaders at the local level did not and current leadership of the General Assembly do not share our values. Developers were not required to build sidewalks until the mid-1990’s, and our General Assembly passed a law in 2013 forbidding the spending of state transportation funds on stand-alone sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure (article by Center for American Progress).

The sidewalk projects that have been identified for completion with these bond funds are key links in this network. They have been clearly identified and prioritized, and are ready for construction. The maintenance projects have been prioritized through recent assessments of street and sidewalk pavement conditions, and a Council commitment to pave all gravel roads. You can see the projects on a map here and you can read more detail about the new sidewalk projects here.

The parks projects were identified through the City’s Splash & Play Project, which was a multi-year community outreach project developed in partnership with East Durham residents. The parks and aquatic center projects came out of this planning process that involved thousands of residents who told Durham Parks and Recreation the features that they want in their local parks.

These Projects Will Make Us Safer

Completing our networks of sidewalks and protected bike facilities (some projects include multi-use paths) are essential elements of reaching zero deaths and serious injuries and zero carbon emissions from transportation. The bond would fund projects to address more than a dozen missing connections.

I was recently interviewed by reporter Michael Perchick of ABC-11 about the bonds. I asked him to meet me at LaSalle Street where it crosses the railroad. While I waited for them to arrive, I saw two middle school age girls walking on the other side of the street, pushing through tall grass with their hands, trying to stay as far from the traffic as they could. This is stretch of LaSalle Street will have sidewalks in the next few years if the bonds are approved.

Thumbnail of Instagram reel (click to view)

I also took a walk with Council member Nate Baker along Hillandale Road between the interchange with I-85 and Club Boulevard. We got our feet wet and muddy along the “goat path” on the side of the street, and stopped to pay respects to the memory of Seth Vidal who was killed on this stretch while riding his bike back in 2013. If the bond passes, this stretch of Hillandale Road will have a new multi-use path giving a safe space for people to walk and bike.

On the bond bike ride hosted by Council member Carl Rist to close out Move-A-Bull City, everyone stopped at the Southside neighborhood community center to see some of the traffic calming measures that were installed by the City at the request of the neighborhood last year with the repaving of their streets. If the bond passes, traffic calming will be possible in several neighborhoods across Durham slated for street repavings.

These Projects Will Improve Transit Access

One of the common complaints about our transit system in Durham is that too many of our bus stops are just poles on the side of the road. Everyone riding the bus deserves the dignity that comes with safe access, and a clean, comfortable bus stop. Seventeen of the sidewalk projects will connect to bus stops and will add ADA-accessible landing areas, large enough to accommodate benches or shelters.

Thumbnail of Instagram reel (click to view)

Leading up to the Week Without Driving, Council member Carl Rist and County Commission candidate Mike Lee did a ride-along on GoDurham bus route 9 with Bike Durham staff Kyle Sullivan and Kelsey Graywill, getting off on East Club Boulevard at a dangerous spot where there is currently no sidewalk. If the bond passes, this segment of East Club Boulevard will have continuous sidewalk on both sides of the street from N Roxboro Street to Glenbrook Drive.

Thumbnail of Instagram reel (click to view)

During the Week Without Driving, a challenge to transportation decision-makes and the community to experience what it’s like to move around our community without driving, I also walked with Council member Chelsea Cook along Northpointe Drive where there is currently a temporary material down on the grass to make a firm landing area at the bus stop, but no connecting sidewalk. If the bond passes, this segment too will be connected to the sidewalks between Guess Road and the sidewalks that start at North Pointe shopping center.

These Projects are ready to be constructed

The new sidewalk projects have already been completely or mostly through the design phase and property is being acquired, as needed. These projects are all expected to be bid out for construction in the next 1-3 years. The sidewalk repair, street paving and repaving, will move forward to construction beginning with the start of construction season next Spring and should all be completed within two years.

Many of the new sidewalk projects have been in the planning and design phase for years - too long really. The City had underinvested in its staff and consultant capacity to manage the design process and procure the necessary right-of-way for these and other projects. While we have been raising concerns about the pace of project delivery for several years, we are encouraged by steps that the City has been taking recently to speed up the delivery of these projects and believe that the leadership is there on the staff to resolve the systemic issues that have been slowing project delivery. We will be releasing a report about the City’s record on project delivery next month, but today, know that we’re confident that the City is ready to deliver on the completion of these projects in the next few years.

These Bonds are the Fastest and Least Expensive Way to Complete these Projects

The bonds are the least expensive and fastest way to fund the completion of these projects (see here). If the bonds pass, all the projects can proceed to construction on their current schedules. If the bonds do not pass, then many of the projects will have to be paused until alternative funding sources can be raised. This would likely add years to some projects, during which time inflation would further raise the costs.

I have heard some argue that these projects should be funded through the regular Capital Improvements Program. If you agree that these projects are important to our community and priorities to be completed, then this is either an argument that $200 million should cut from other projects or services over the next several years to make room for these projects, or it is an argument for raising the property taxes by 46.8 cents per $100 of valuation (currently only 11.5 cents per $100 of valuation for capital projects and debt). This is why taking on debt makes sense for large capital investments. The City gets a very low rate because of their history of good financial management leading to a AAA rating, and the bonds spread the payments over years. As Tim Flora, the City’s finance director, often says, “Paying with bonds is a strategy for generational equity. Bonds are repaid over the useful life of the infrastructure, spreading the project cost equitably among current and future taxpayers as they receive the benefits of the infrastructure over time.”

I’ve already voted Yes for the Bonds, i hope you will too

I'm convinced that this bond funding is the cheapest way to deliver these projects that are a critical next step in building the infrastructure that we all deserve in Durham.

You can help make sure these bonds pass so the projects can be completed by taking these steps:

1. Make a plan to vote and mark yes for both bonds on the ballot

2. Tell three friends or family members to do the same

3. Sign up for a shift to canvass or make phone calls to other voters

Tomorrow is the First Day of School: Let’s Slow Down and Continue Advocating for Change

My daughter’s parking space at high school

Tomorrow, my youngest daughter is starting her Senior year at Riverside High School. It will mark the eighteenth consecutive year that one of our daughters has attended Durham Public Schools.  In addition to feeling excited for her, I’m also nervous because we’ll be letting her drive to school for the first time.  We know that back-to-school time can be particularly hectic on the streets and roads as there is concentrated activity around schools, many navigating new travel patterns, and lots of people new to walking, biking, and driving, all on the streets together.

Over the past eighteen years, with our three daughters, we’ve done it all.  There has been walking, biking, riding a kick-scooter, riding the school bus, and carpooling.  There has also been driving (by my wife and me) and driving by our daughters.  We have been fortunate that the only injury has been some scrapes from a fall on a kick-scooter.  And I feel privileged that we live in a neighborhood where walking and biking to school has often been a good option. 

Most families in Durham are driving their children to school or putting them on a school bus.  Walking or biking to school has become a rarity, not just in Durham, but across the country.  This is not because families don’t want their kids to walk or bike to school, most would love to give their kids that kind of independence and save themselves the time it takes.  But it is usually the rational choice given distances or dangers between home and school.  This is the outcome of decades of policy choices at the local and state levels about how we build our communities and our transportation system.

At Bike Durham, we want all families to have the choice to send their kids out the door each day to walk or bike or roll to school.  And we want that to be a safe option that parents feel good about. 

Here is what we are doing about it:

• Advocating for the City to continue funding sidewalk, intersection, and crosswalk improvements near schools so that all students will have safe walking access to schools;

• Advocating for measures to slow speeds City-wide, starting in school zones;

• Training elementary school students on bike riding and walking safety skills; and

• Supporting families that are starting bike trains/walking school buses. 

These infrastructure improvements require investment at the local, state, and federal level.  In addition to direct public investment, we need to change the rules that our governments administer to ensure the private developers are building communities where it is easy to walk and bike and that are well-connected to neighboring development and the rest of Durham.

Responsible Road User Behavior: For Drivers

While improved infrastructure and better development is crucial, it must be complemented by responsible behavior from all road users. Tomorrow, we will all be navigating the infrastructure we have, so here are reminders from the National Safety Council about how to be safe tomorrow, regardless of whether you have kids at schools or not.  

If You're Dropping Off

Schools often have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of all kids. The following apply to all school zones:

• Don't double park; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles

• Don't load or unload children across the street from the school

• Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school

Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians

According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they're walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe:

• Don't block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic

• In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection

• Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign

• Take extra care to look for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas

• Don't honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way

• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians

• Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way

Sharing the Road with School Buses

If you're driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.

• Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you're on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children

• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop

• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus

• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks

Sharing the Road with Bicyclists

On most roads, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, but bikes can be hard to see. Children riding bikes create special problems for drivers because usually they are not able to properly determine traffic conditions. The most common cause of collision is a driver turning left in front of a bicyclist.

Far Hand Reach: Take this simple step before getting out of your car. It may save a life.

• When passing a bicyclist, proceed in the same direction slowly, and leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist

• When turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass

• If you're turning right and a bicyclists is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersection first, and always use your turn signals

• Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children especially have a tendency to do this

• Be extra vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods

• Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars

• Check side mirrors and use the far hand reach technique when opening your door

By exercising a little extra care and caution, drivers and people walking and biking can co-exist safely in school zones.

Responsible Road User Behavior: For Parents

• Model good behavior: If driving, never use your mobile device. If walking with your children, always use crosswalks. No matter how you are traveling, always follow traffic rules. Your kids are watching and learning what is acceptable.

• Teach traffic safety: Regularly discuss and practice safe pedestrian and cycling behaviors with your kids.

• Carpool or use alternative transportation: Reduce traffic congestion by sharing rides or using school buses when available.

• Arrive early: Give yourself extra time to avoid rushing, which can lead to unsafe choices.

Responsible Road User Behavior: For Students when walking

• Use crosswalks and obey crossing guards: Never jaywalk or cross against signals.

• Stay visible: Wear bright clothing and use reflective gear, especially in low light conditions.

• Walk on sidewalks: If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic and as far from the road as possible.

• Be alert: Avoid distractions like headphones or mobile devices when walking.

Responsible Road User Behavior: For Students when biking

• Follow traffic laws: Ride in the same direction as traffic and obey all signs and signals.

• Use hand signals: Clearly communicate your intentions to turn or stop.

• Helmet use: Always wear a properly fitted helmet when cycling, skateboarding, or using other wheeled transportation.

• Stay visible: Use lights and reflectors, especially during early morning or evening hours.

• Give pedestrians right-of-way: Yield to pedestrians on shared paths and at crosswalks.

• Be alert: Avoid distractions like headphones or mobile devices when biking.

A Call to Action: Making School Zones Safer for All

As we embark on a new school year, let's commit to a vision for a Durham where everyone can thrive, and all families can make the choice for their kids to walk, bike, or roll to school.

Here's how you can get involved:

1. Become a Bike Durham member advocating for change.

2. Support the Connecting Durham bond referendum: Vote for and promote this measure to fund sidewalks, bike lanes, street repair, and parks.

3. Join or organize a walking school bus or bike train program at your school. Contact us for support.

4. Educate others: Share traffic safety information with your neighbors and on social media (use #saferoutesDurham) to raise awareness.

5. Report hazards: Use Durham OneCall (919-560-1200) to notify the City about dangerous conditions near schools.

The first day of school should be filled with hope and possibilities, not danger and fear. By working together to improve our infrastructure and promote responsible behavior, we can create a safer environment for all our children.

Durham Residents Want Our Streets to be Safe for Everyone

On April 26, the IndyWeek published an article that first ran in the 9th Street Journal entitled "Reckless Roxboro May Get a Revamp if Locals Can Persuade NCDOT". I encourage you to read this article by Esmé Fox and pay attention to the quotes by NCDOT district engineer John Sandor.

While I find the quotes to be troubling, they are not entirely surprising, and I think it’s helpful that he's saying this publicly to a reporter. Now we know what mindset and arguments that we're facing. In the article, the district engineer is reported as having made the following points:

1. He only raises concerns for congestion, making no mention of concern for excessive speeds or safety. The community has repeatedly called for a new design intended to slow speeds and make these streets safe and comfortable for all users. Car volumes on these streets have dropped since the opening of the East End Connector (I-885).

2. He poses the questions, "Are they going to use smaller streets? Are they going to go through neighborhoods now?" He's referring to his own speculation that a design for two-way travel and slower speeds would cause drivers to look for other paths.  What he doesn't seem to realize is that Roxboro and Mangum Streets already cut through existing neighborhoods. People live on those streets and have to cross those streets to move through the neighborhood. However, instead of being designed as connectors, the current designs divide the communities.

3. “Has it [two-way conversion] been done successfully? I think you’ll see a mixed bag of results. It’s not a magic pill that’s going to go in there and fix all these things for these people. It actually changes the road completely. Whereas if I’m a pedestrian on a one-way street, all I have to do is look one way, right?” First, there actually is a lot of evidence that one-lane of traffic in each direction will be slower than two lanes of traffic in one direction. The expected slower speed is the primary reason that the capacity of the streets would be lower, since there would still be a total of two lanes of traffic in each direction on Mangum and Roxboro Streets. There are also a lot of other reasons that communities make these conversions, including for economic development (look no further than Durham’s own conversion of Main Street and Chapel Hill Street from one-way to two-way travel inside the Loop). More concerning however, is that he is not being a partner with the City in solving the concerns about speeding traffic and safety. We want NCDOT’s district engineer to be a partner in redesigning streets that are safe for all users.

4. “We have a bigger responsibility than just those citizens that live down in that corridor.” ​This is the quote that burns me up.  First of all, he is dismissing residents who are engaging in a public process to shape their own physical community.  Second, he doesn't acknowledge that the City Council, our elected representatives, adopted the Move Durham Study in 2020 recommending converting these streets to two-way travel, nor that the City staff are the ones who have been trying to work with him on the analysis to convince him that a new two-way design will "work" for traffic flow.  I read this as a statement that he and his colleagues at the NCDOT district office believe that they know better what the Durham community wants and needs in their street designs than the City Council and staff, let alone the residents. 

We cannot let these comments go without response. I and several others have submitted letters to the editor at IndyWeek and are sharing them with City staff and elected officials. The text of my letter to the editor (limit 300 words) is below:

“Residents from neighborhoods across Durham, whether in northeast central Durham or southwest Durham, we all want and deserve streets that are safe for walking, biking, and driving. That means streets designed for slower speeds, with sidewalks, safe crossings, protected bike lanes, and access to transit.  In the April 26th article "Reckless Roxboro May Get a Revamp if Locals Can Persuade NCDOT", Esmé Fox reports on the residents organizing for safer two-way designs of Roxboro and Mangum Streets. The City Council adopted this change in their 2020 Move Durham Study, and staff has hired an engineering consultant to analyze the impacts before developing a design.  However, the district engineer dismisses this direction set by our elected and staff leadership, “We have a bigger responsibility than just those citizens that live down in that corridor.”  Since these are NCDOT-maintained streets, the district engineer also needs to be convinced to become a partner in making this change.

Just last week at the NC Traffic Safety Conference, the City of Durham Transportation Department, the Southside Neighborhood Association, and Bike Durham were recognized with the 2024 Collaboration of the Year Award by the Governor's Highway Safety Program.  This award was for the collective effort to engage the residents about their desires for slower speed traffic where they lived, to co-design solutions that the City evaluated, approved, and implemented.  

We call on NCDOT engineers to embrace this model of collaboration so that they become full partners with the City and community residents in addressing concerns about speeding traffic that too often leads to tragedy.  Our streets belong to all of us and they should be designed so that everyone can thrive whether walking, biking, riding transit, or in a car.”

We cannot achieve the changes to our streets that we need unless we convert NCDOT’s district engineer to be a partner in addressing these problems.

Composite of (unflattering) images from the awards event at the Traffic Safety Conference.

What You Can Do

1. Send your own letter to the editor at IndyWeek (backtalk@indyweek.com) in response to "Reckless Roxboro May Get a Revamp if Locals Can Persuade NCDOT". The limit is 300 words.

2. Sign up to receive email updates on our Safe Streets campaign.

3. Become a sustainer to power this campaign for safe streets by making a monthly or annual contribution.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Attendees standing vigil for the 22 victims of traffic violence in Durham during 2022. Luminaries were placed in the outside lanes of Guess Road at the trail crossing as a symbol of the type of measure that we would like considered to make this crossing, where Matt Simpson was killed while on his bicycle, safer for everyone.

On the Sunday, November 20, about 50 of us gathered at Westover Park for Bike Durham’s first observance of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.  It was a simple, yet powerful event.  We called for the City to complete a Vision Zero Action Plan by next November showing the roadmap for getting to zero deaths or serious injuries from traffic violence.  We also called for the City Council to fund a full-time, dedicated Vision Zero Coordinator to lead this work. 

Tyler Dewey, representing the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee, said that for those who are walking, biking, or rolling on Durham’s streets, “The dangers are clear to us, but they don’t define us…Our vulnerability is not inherent to our bodies. It is imposed on us by systems and institutions that value speed over human life.” He continued, “There is a way forward…We must build for a people-centered future, rather than our car-dependent present.”

City transportation director Sean Egan confirmed the City’s commitment to Vision Zero and said that the city has applied, together with the regional transportation planning organization, for a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant to develop a regional Vision Zero Action Plan.

Council member Javiera Caballero also spoke, challenging Durham residents to tackle transportation safety challenges the same way that we have tackled affordable housing. She said, “We need to be the…leader in the state. I know we can do it. When we put a bond, which is coming, in front of you all, we need you to resoundingly vote yes.”

Bike Durham executive director John Tallmadge and Bridget Bell lighting a candle for the vigil

Then Bridget Bell read a statement prepared by her friend Allison Simpson - widow of Matt Simpson who was killed while riding his bike across Guess Road, just steps from where we gathered.  This emotional moment was followed by lighting hand-held candles and reading the names of the twenty-two road traffic victims who had died this year in Durham, as well as 14-year old Riverside student Aliyah Thornhill who was killed while walking on a dark road in Oak Ridge, NC on Halloween.

We finished the vigil by placing luminaries in the outside lanes of Guess Road to narrow it from four lanes to two at the crossing where Matt Simpson was killed.  Twenty-two of the luminaries had the names of the victims and/or the dates of their crash. We all stood for twenty-two minutes to honor their memories and watched drivers slowly pass using the two center lanes of Guess Road.  We were grateful to the Durham Police Department for keeping us safe while we placed the luminaries in the street and retrieved them, and for producing this video summary of the event.

Asst. Chief David Anthony & other members of DPD participated in a vigil held by @BikeDurham at Westover Park for the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Luminaires were placed on Guess Rd to remember the 22 victims who have died in road crashes in Durham this year pic.twitter.com/oXRz76eEg4

— DurhamPoliceNC (@TheDurhamPolice) November 21, 2022

The following day at the city council meeting, council member Monique Holsey-Hyman (who also attended Sunday’s vigil) read a Mayor’s proclamation recognizing November 20th, 2022 as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in Durham. Allison Simpson was able to make brief remarks virtually on Zoom in accepting the proclamation. You can watch the reading and Allison’s remarks here.

Our local event, covered by CBS 17 and ABC 11, was part of a larger, growing movement for Vision Zero across the country and world.  More than sixty communities in the U.S. and hundreds across the world held Day of Remembrance events on November 20th (recap here) with the theme of “Remember. Support. Act”.  

Importantly, US Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sat down for an interview recognizing the Day of Remembrance (you can read remarks from the Secretary and watch a recording of his comments here). This was an important reminder that this year the federal government has set a direction to eliminate deaths and serious injuries.  NCDOT adopted a Vision Zero policy in 2015, the City of Durham adopted a Vision Zero resolution in 2017, and our regional transportation planning organization adopted a goal of zero deaths or serious injuries due to traffic violence by 2050.  

The direction has been set and is aligned from the federal to the state to the regional to the local level.  But resolutions and policy statements won’t save lives. This past Sunday, The NY Times ran a story about how the number of roadway deaths in the U.S. began increasing in recent years while it has continued to fall in countries across the world.

Now it is past time for our leaders and government agencies to act on their commitments.  Bike Durham will be working with partners and supporters to move our local, regional, and state governments to action in Durham, starting with our calls for a Vision Zero Action Plan to be completed by the 2023 Day of Remembrance and for funding a full-time, dedicated Vision Zero Coordinator.

Let's Celebrate our Victories on Erwin Road

Last week, the City painted the green bike boxes on Erwin Road at the intersection with Anderson Street. This is the most visible example so far of the safety improvements that we were able to gain through our advocacy with the City this summer. While many of the improvements that we asked for to improve safety for people walking, biking, and using transit on Erwin Road were not approved, we should celebrate the improvements that have been made. Without the voices of advocates calling for an Erwin Road that works for all users, it’s unlikely that NCDOT would have made any changes at all.

Green painted bike boxes on Erwin Road at the intersection with Anderson Street

The Improvements to Look for on Erwin Road

The City of Durham was able to convince NCDOT to approve the following safety improvements for people walking, biking, and using transit on Erwin Road:

“The changes to Erwin Road now advancing will improve safety for pedestrians with high-visibility crosswalks, additional crossing time, including a green “walk” signal for pedestrians ahead of the green for vehicular traffic (Leading Pedestrian Interval or LPI). To address cyclist safety, the project adds a new buffered bike lane between Flowers Drive and Anderson St. and adds a 2.5’ buffer to the existing bike lanes between Anderson St. and the NC 147 overpass, along with green pavement markings at intersections to draw attention to the bicycle facilities.” (excerpted from letter by Durham Transportation Director Sean Egan to Bike Durham Advocacy Chair Erik Landfried dated August 19, 2022)

Our understanding from the City staff is that the City also intends to install flex-post delineators to the buffered bike lanes mentioned above in order to further separate people on bikes from the traffic lanes.

What’s a Bike Box and How do I Use It?

At the intersection of Erwin Road and Anderson Street, the City has painted green bike boxes, providing a refuge for people on bikes who are making left turns from Erwin onto Anderson. If you are approaching the intersection on your bike while the light is red, or turning red, you can continue in the bike lane (also green near the intersection) until reaching the large green box at the intersection. Here, you can move to the left to be in front of the first car waiting to turn left. (Drivers must wait behind the bike box while waiting for the light to change.). Then when the light turns green, you are at the front of the line of vehicles to turn left. This makes you more visible in the intersection, and provides strong visual cues for drivers about where to look for people riding bikes. Here is a link to a video clip about how to use a bike box - from Iowa City, Iowa.

Our volunteer leaders on the Erwin Road advocacy, David Bradway and Erik Landfried, joined me on Wednesday morning to educate people biking through the intersection about how to use the new bike boxes. We were also able to make sure that they had lights and a bagel!

Getting the Other Changes We Need

There is a lot of work left to be done to get the changes that people walking, biking, and using transit along Erwin Road need to stay safe, and to make Erwin Road a great street for everyone. We continue pushing the City, NCDOT, and Duke University to commit funds to develop a plan to make Erwin Road a safe and great road for all. The first opportunity for that may be through a bus rapid transit (BRT) study that is expected to be included in the final Durham County Transit Plan this winter.

Through David Bradway’s leadership, we are also continuing to engage with Duke staff and students to encourage their active participation in identifying ways to connect through campus as an alternative to biking and walking directly on Erwin Road.

Finally, we have a team of volunteers we call the Safe Streets Research Team who are gathering insights from other communities about how to effectively advocate for changes with NCDOT. We’re also coordinating with the City’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) to advocate for safety improvements on streets scheduled for repaving by NCDOT and the City in 2023 (see letter from BPAC Chair Susanne Schmal to City and County staff).

We’d like you to volunteer with us to make Erwin Road and all of Durham’s streets safe for everyone. Contact Erik Landfried at erik@bikedurham.org to plug into our advocacy work - our Advocacy Committee meets monthly on the third Thursday at 7pm.

A Great First Week of Bike Month 2022

Big Turnout for Biking Fun Festival at Glenn Elementary

April 30

Last Saturday we had a huge turnout for a Bike Fun Fest at Glenn Elementary.  There were more than 70 kids from Glenn and the surrounding neighborhoods and we gave away 65 helmets while the kids practiced their biking skills.  Thanks to a donation from Ninth Street Bakery​, everyone (including me) also enjoyed delicious cookies.  This was a capstone to the four-session bicycle safety training class that the 4th graders at Glenn Elementary completed during the month of May. A big thanks to Principal Hunt and Coach Matheson for all their support.

May 1

On Sunday, we launched a couple of rides from Hi-Wire Brewing. We had a good turnout, and a great time, and appreciate the participation of the Durham Bike Co-op​, Rescue Project Racing​, and Trek Cycles. Thanks to Jacopo Montobbio and Christy LaGuardia for leading the rides.

On Sunday, Ali Shoenfelt and Nikola Milenkovic also held the second of five walk-audits scheduled for the Old West Durham and Watts-Hillandale neighborhoods as part of the traffic calming plan that the neighborhood association boards asked us to develop with financial support from Duke Doing Good. You can learn more about that project on our website.

Council member Javiera Caballero joins with students and teachers from Merrick-Moore Elementary on Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day

May 4-6

Wednesday was Walk, Bike, and Roll to School day.  Fourteen Durham public schools held events on the 4th, 5th, or 6th, and six more will hold events later this month. This represents thousands of students who are getting out and walking, biking, or rolling. Many Durham schools do not have safe routes for students to walk or bike to school, even if they live a few blocks away. Bike, Walk, and Roll to School days are a great way to bring attention to this issue and for the schools to celebrate the joy of walking, biking, and rolling.   You can learn more about our Safe Routes to School program here.

I can’t wait for the rest of Bike Month.

Bike Durham Named Advocacy Organization of the Year

Last Monday, Bike Durham was named the Advocacy Organization of the Year by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) - our nation’s organization representing bicyclists in the movement to create safer roads, stronger communities, and a Bicycle Friendly America.

LAB gives this award to a bicycling and/or walking advocacy organization or club who, in the past year, made significant progress. LAB recognizes an organization whose leaders have worked tirelessly together to grow and strengthen their organization and fulfill their mission. This award is about recognizing organizations that are inclusive, welcoming, and committed to growing bicycling.

We are thrilled with this recognition for all we accomplished in 2022. We are also pleased that the League recognized our work that centers safe walking and transit equity, as well as safe bicycling. It all works together to give us the transportation system we deserve - one that is safe, affordable, and sustainable for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live.

The League’s Executive Director, Bill Nesper, asked us to answer three questions that could be shared as part of the award announcement. I want to share our responses with you, too.

What do you hope the future holds for the bike movement? We hope that the bike movement joins forces with others to remake our communities and retake our streets so that its safe, affordable, and enjoyable for everyone to bike, walk, rolll, and use transit.

How should advocates seize this moment to shape the future?  We should all be stretching our comfort zones to invest in the relationships to build a multi-racial coalition for safe, affordable, and sustainable transportation.

What was a recent moment of bike joy in your work?  On a Saturday in early December, we held a Bike Festival for youth following four weeks of teaching bike safety skills to fifth graders at Eastway Elementary in Durham. The turnout was estupendo, and the highlight was when the school counselor got on a bike for the first time since she was a girl.

Thanks to all our volunteers, contractors, Board members, member donors, and supporters. This recognition belongs to all of us.

Below you will find video (credit to Arleigh Greenwald, @DurhamStreets) and print recaps of our 2021 accomplishments.

This award includes the Jon Graff Prize for Advancing Safe Cycling - a donation of $1,000 to our organization.

Our In-Person Presentation to the DPS Board of Education

Last Thursday, February 10th, I had the privilege of presenting an update on our Safe Routes to School program to the members of the Durham Public Schools (DPS) Board of Education.  And we were able to be there in-person!  This was a great opportunity to tell the story of the outstanding reception that we’ve been getting to our work in the schools and to share our plans for deepening our impact in the future.

You can watch the video of the presentation here (it should be set to start at the 2:14:40 mark).  The presentation is 15 minutes long and remarks from the Board members are another 12 minutes.  You can also view the slides independently here.

We have been developing and delivering Safe Routes to School programming under contract with the City of Durham since March of 2021.  Our work is shaped in part through bi-weekly video calls with Dale McKeel of the City’s Transportation Department and Mathew Palmer, DPS’s Executive Director of School Planning, Design and Construction where we discuss our plans and get support and advice from Dale and Mathew.  This opportunity came about through discussion of our desire to deepen the relationship we have, not just with leaders at individual elementary schools, but with district-level leaders.  We are scheduled to make a similar presentation to the Durham City Council on March 24th. 

We are seeking additional Bicycle Safety Educators  

If you are interested in working with the Safe Routes to School team teaching bicycle safety skills to 4th or 5th grade students, please see the job description here.  

Black History Month Slide Deck for Elementary School Students

Stephen Mullaney of our Safe Routes to School Team, and a DPS outdoor learning specialist put together a slide deck for Black History month that highlights Black individuals on bikes from historic figures across the country to current day here in Durham.  This has been shared with all Durham elementary schools.  You can view it yourself here.

May 4th is Bike and Roll to School Day

Every May is Bike Month, and this year the national Bike and Roll to School Day is May 4th. Last October, more than 5,000 students at thirteen DPS elementary schools participated in Walk and Roll to School events. We want this May to be even bigger! We will be supporting administrators, teachers, and parents with planning activities for this May. More details to come. If you’d like to discuss ideas for your school now, please email us at saferoutes@bikedurham.org.

Photo from October 2021 Walk and Bike to School Day at Eastway Elementary

ACTION ALERT: Help support a new direction for transportation in the Triangle

We have a critical opportunity to move toward a safe, equitable, and sustainable system with a shift from road expansion to transit, sidewalks, and bikes

Last year, Bike Durham's advocacy successfully pushed the executive board of the regional transportation planning agency, Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro (DCHC) Metropolitan Planning Organization, to adopt necessary objectives for their 2050 plan, including Zero Deaths or Serious Injuries, Zero Racial Disparity of Access, and Zero Carbon Emissions.  

Now, at this point in the process, the DCHC MPO is seeking comments through December 7th on their Preferred Option for investments in their 2050 plan. In response to our advocacy when the draft alternatives were released, the DCHC MPO Executive Board directed the staff to draft a preferred option to show investments that will move us strongly toward the adopted objectives of Zero Deaths or Serious Injuries, Zero Disparity of Access, and Zero Carbon Emissions. While there is still a long way to go, the Preferred Option marks a departure from past planning by removing most road expansion projects and planning for massive investments in sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and transit. 

We are broadly supportive of Preferred Option and encourage you to send in comments to that effect. The staff and Executive Board are already getting some push back on the proposal to remove highway widening projects from the plan. We need to encourage the Executive Board of DCHC to move forward and adopt the Preferred Option. 

Please add your voice to our email campaign.

Our full comments on the Preferred Option are included below:

Bike Durham Comments on 2050 MTP Preferred Option

Bike Durham is supportive of the proposed 2050 MTP Preferred Option.  We appreciate the courageous action taken by the Executive Board to direct staff to develop a new preferred option that moves closer to the adopted objectives of Zero Deaths and Serious Injuries, Zero Disparity of Access, and Zero Carbon Emissions.  That was real leadership.

We also appreciate the extra effort put in by MPO staff and members of the Technical Committee to develop the new Preferred Option that we’re commenting on.  Making a change this significant mid-process without all the tools needed is not easy.

While we support this Preferred Option, the mix of proposed investments and removed projects does not reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled, and there are no evaluations of the impacts on safety, nor on racial disparity of access.  The plan should identify the need for new tools, strategies, and processes that must be developed in order to better design and evaluate programs or projects intended to address the objectives of Zero Deaths and Serious Injuries, Zero Disparity of Access, and Zero Carbon Emissions.  This will take additional staff time and likely procurement of consulting assistance.  

In addition, we have a number of specific comments in each plan section that we urge the Board and staff to incorporate in the final adopted plan so that we continue to accelerate our progress toward those objectives.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Section

1. We support the level of investment in infrastructure to keep people who are walking, biking, or rolling safe from traffic.  We also support the methodology of building up the costs from projects identified in municipal plans as opposed to the past practice of just assigning “leftover” revenue to these projects.

2. We ask that the adopted plan include a listing and map of the projects programmed to be delivered in the first 10-year period.  We believe that the benefits of transparency and accountability outweigh the potential staff time required if there are project changes that would require updates to the MTP.  Seeing the prioritized projects would also engage the public in the MPO’s planning and build trust that the priorities are aligned with the objective to eliminate racial disparity of access.

3. The MPO Policy described in this section should be revised to call for incorporation of protected bike lanes with concrete separators on any streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or faster.  

4. The MPO Policy should also be extended to cover resurfacings of municipal- and state-maintained streets, where feasible.

5. We also urge the adoption of any other policies to ensure that all funded projects in DCHC area get the full benefits of the NCDOT Complete Streets Policy.  This would include establishing a priority of safety for all users, including those walking or biking, over traffic delays when there is a conflict.  Further, that street design changes intended to improve safety for drivers must not increase the risks to people walking or biking.

6. The financial plan information in this section includes an assumed unit cost for protected bike lanes equivalent to $6.34 million per mile.  A Protected Bike Lane Design Guide published by the Portland Bureau of Transportation in May 2021 (available at this link - https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/36167) assumes a cost of $1.1 million per mile for concrete island-separated bike lanes on two-way roads.  This figure is “fully loaded,” including a 2.5 multiplier over construction costs to account for design, project management, etc.  Even if this estimate is doubled, the staff estimate is nearly three times as high.  We urge the final document to show a per unit cost for protected bike lanes that is more in-line with actual experience around the country.

7. Finally, we urge inclusion of a line item for “quick-build” protected lanes that could be installed on an interim basis on streets where there are missing sidewalks or a protected bike lane is needed due to traffic speeds above 35 miles per hour.  “Quick-build” projects would be installed with striping changes and vertical delineators (posts, planters, or parking protection), rather than more permanent concrete curbs.

Public Transit Section

1. We support the higher level of investment afforded by a full penny sales tax (½-cent more than current) suggested by the Executive Board at their November meeting.  The addition of these revenues should enable the inclusion of specific services and projects that are not in the current, outdated transit plans, but have not yet been adopted in the new plans.

2. While we understand that, for the sake of clarity, it does not make sense to show all transit lines, we urge the final plan to include mapping of the proposed frequent transit network (services running every 15-minutes or better all day long), in addition to fixed guideway projects.  We also suggest that assumptions be explained about the changes in level of investment in local bus service, regional bus service, BRT service, and rail service.  A form of this data is shown by agency in the Measurement of Effectiveness section.  We suggest it be explained here so that there is no confusion about what type of services will see changes in investment.

3. We recommend inclusion of a transit capital investment and high-level of service in the US 70 corridor connecting Durham and Raleigh.  We support the highway modernization or boulevard project on US 70, in lieu of a freeway, but it should be supported with additional high-quality transit capacity in the corridor, as is proposed for the US 15-501 corridor and the NC-147 corridor.

4. We recommend inclusion of multi-modal hubs where parking may be located.  These would be facilities where transit lines, micro-mobility, and other community resources would be co-located (some with parking for park-and-ride).  These have been identified in various locations in past studies, and should be included in the adopted plan.

5. We urge the inclusion of a statement that the MPO will support and encourage all transit agencies to transition to all electric fleets by 2030.  This statement should call for development of an MPO strategy for accomplishing this.  

Highways Section

1. We support the replacement of widening projects with modernization projects, and the acknowledgement that this will require working with partners across the state and at the North Carolina Department of Transportation to more fairly score projects based on how well they will function for all users.  We also support the removal of the managed lane projects on I-40 and NC-147.  We encourage the DCHC MPO and CAMPO to initiate study of congestion pricing on the existing lanes I-40 and NC-147 in order to cost-effectively manage traffic demand.

2. We support the proposals to convert US 15-501 and NC-147 segments to boulevards 

3. We support the proposal to modernize the segments of US-70 rather than converting them to freeway sections.  The proposed freeway conversion would have required bulldozing as many as 60 homes and businesses.  We can make this corridor work for all users and look forward to a new study with that as the goal.

4. Moderniziation projects should be added for streets in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods (e.g., Dearborn Drive, Cheek Road, S. Alston Avenue south of Cecil Street, Junction Road).

5. We do not support the inclusion of the widening of I-85 west of the Durham County/Orange County line. Adding highway capacity induces additional vehicle travel and this will affect volume on Durham streets connected to I-85. We oppose the addition of all four projects in Orange County where it is indicated that they were added to the Vision Plan by Orange County staff AFTER directed by the Executive Board to bring forward a Preferred Option that moved us to lower vehicle miles traveled. Rather than modernizations of the three arterial segments that add sidewalks and protected bicycle lanes, staff inserted new road widenings. We urge the replacement of the three widenings on NC 86 and South Churton Street with modernization projects and the removal of the I-85 widening.

6. Finally, this section should be renamed the Streets and Highways Section.  Both are addressed in this section.

Measures of Effectiveness Section

1. This section reveals that much more needs to be done to develop transit, walking, and biking infrastructure so that per capita vehicle miles traveled will fall.

2. This section is lacking any safety analysis.  We’re left to make conclusions based on average speeds.

3. This section is lacking any analysis of differences in access to jobs or other destinations between drivers and transit users.  There is also no analysis of differences in access to jobs or other destinations between areas that are predominantly occupied by minority residents and those predominantly occupied by white residents.

4. Differences in work trip distance, mode usage should be analyzed by race and income.

5. The tables on pages four through six are difficult to understand for some items because units of measure are not labeled, and abbreviations are used for some descriptors.   

Financial Plan Section

1. The narrative of the Roadways and Alternative Transportation Revenues should make clear that current law prohibits spending of State revenues and also flexing federal highway revenues to stand-alone projects providing safe infrastructure for people walking or biking.  The assumption that this prohibition wil be lifted should be clearly stated.

2. The local/private funding of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure should reflect the City of Durham’s recent increase in their CIP funding for projects of this type.

3. The assumptions of growth rates in the transit sales tax should be stated. 

4. The differences in the level of detail between the roadway section and the public transportation section communicates that either less work has been done to understand the public transportation costs and revenues, or there is no desire to share the information.

5. Neither table seems to reflect the federal infrastructure bill that has been signed into law.  While we understand that is a recent occurrence, it seems that it should be reflected in some way.  

6. The public transportation table should reflect other federal formula funds received as revenues, other federal discretionary grant assumptions, and state revenue assumptions.  The abbreviation CIG should be explained.

Aligning Transportation Plans with Our Values

The future we want captured in an Image of youth walking and biking to school from transformca.org

I think I observed an important breakthrough on September 1, 2021, in Bike Durham’s work for a safe, affordable, and sustainable transportation system for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live.  Elected officials from Durham, Orange, and Chatham counties had a long overdue conversation about developing a transportation plan that actually aligns with the values and policy direction that they agree upon around eliminating carbon emissions, eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries, and eliminating racial and economic disparities in access to jobs and other destinations.  Further, they went beyond conversation and voted unanimously to direct staff to develop a plan alternative that is intended to reach these goals by 2050.  They broke through the mindset that they don’t have the power to set a new course, and took a step toward a safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation system. 

Here’s the story: 

The little-known regional transportation planning organization known as DCHC MPO met to discuss and take comments on the staff-developed Transportation Plan Alternatives for the next 30 years.  This governmental organization is required under federal law to adopt a long-range transportation plan every four years.  It’s called the Metropolitan Transportation Plan or MTP.  Despite how obscure the organization is, it plays a crucial role in determining what transportation projects get built.  Any transportation project that receives federal or state funding must be included in the MTP.  The final set of projects in any MTP must be agreed upon by the state department of transportation (NCDOT) AND the locally appointed DCHC MPO board. 

Last summer the planning process for the plan looking out to 2050 started by identifying goals and objectives.  Bike Durham reviewed that draft proposal and raised concerns that they were inadequate and would not lead to change.  In commenting on the Goals and Objectives, we called for a bold vision of Zero Carbon Emissions, Zero Deaths or Serious Injuries, and Zero Racial or Economic Disparity of Access.   The Board agreed with us and directed the staff to revise the Goals and Objectives to include this bold vision.

It’s hard to understate how much of a departure these goals are from the past, and the staff has the uncomfortable challenge of working with analytical tools that are designed to evaluate benefits and impacts for drivers, not equity or safety, and carbon and other emissions have typically been measured at the end of the process, not used as a driver of the plan.  As the staff proceeded with the planning steps, they acknowledged the need for performance measures for these goals, but pointed out that they don’t have good tools to measure them.  This led to the development of three alternative future transportation systems that have differences, but none would make an appreciable difference in reaching the bold goals (in fact, there was no analysis to even indicate how they would affect the goals).

At the September 1st DCHC Board meeting, staff member Andy Henry presented the Alternatives Analysis, and Board members and the public followed with comments.  I listened while waiting my turn at the Zoom mike, and heard very encouraging questioning from Carrboro Council member/Mayoral candidate Damon Seils and Chapel Hill council member/GoTriangle Board chair Michael Parker.  It was clear that neither thought that the alternatives were bold enough.  

There were only two of us there to provide comments at the public hearing and both of us are white men who used to work at GoTriangle - a serious indictment of the public engagement process!   A link to a recording of Bike Durham’s comments, delivered by me, is embedded below.  The written remarks are at the bottom of this post.  (If you’re really interested in this, start at the 31:35 minute mark with the points raised by Carrboro Council member Damon Seils.)

In our comments, I closed with a call for the Board to direct the staff to develop another alternative that would address all three goals and reduce the drive alone mode share by 25% by 2050.  In the discussion that followed, the Board members came to the conclusion that they could ask for an alternative that reflected their priorities, that would reveal many of the difficult changes that will have to be made to achieve our vision, and that would serve as an advocacy piece, making it clear what the benefits will be if those changes to projects, policy, laws, ordinances, and budgets are made.  I am optimistic about the opportunity that the Board’s action creates, and am proud that Bike Durham played a role in making this happen.

Best quotes of the day

“If we move forward with a preferred option based on those before us, I’m not sure what we’re doing here.” - Damon Seils, Carrboro Council member/mayoral candidate

“It’s not just about adding more transit projects, it’s also subtracting car-oriented projects.” - Michael Parker, Chapel Hill councilmember/GoTriangle Board Chair

“This is part of a system that is not functioning in a way it needs to get where we want it to go.” - Jenn Weaver, Hillsborough Mayor

“This may be the best MPO meeting that I’ve ever been to.  And these may be the best two public comments I’ve ever heard at an MPO meeting.” - Charlie Reece, Durham City Council member

Bike Durham comments delivered to the DCHC MPO Board on September 1, 2021 by John Tallmadge

“Thank you for the opportunity to comment.  I’m John Tallmadge, Executive Director of Bike Durham.

After the Board adopted goals that included zero deaths and serious injuries, zero disparity of access, and zero carbon emissions, we were optimistic that the 2050 Plan would chart a new course toward a safe, affordable, and sustainable transportation system for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live.  That’s Bike Durham’s vision for the future.

We were hopeful that the bold vision that the MPO adopted would drive the development of bold alternatives that would illustrate the likely difficult choices needed to achieve these goals.  We grew concerned when the deficiency analysis largely addressed the issues of driver delay, driver commute time, and highway capacity - the same variables that are typically used - and measures of safety, carbon emissions, and disparity of access.  Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was presented, but not in the context of carbon emissions.

We were disappointed to see the alternative scenarios presented for comment.  The staff has not attempted to develop a scenario that could achieve the goals.  The All Together alternative is the best of the bunch, but it does not rise to the occasion required.

We understand why this is the case, but we do not accept it.  When urging you to adopt bold goals, we said that it takes a long time to turn a big ship onto a different course, and that’s why it’s important to turn the wheel hard now.  It appears that in attempting to turn the wheel hard through bold goals, other problems have been revealed.

First, the navigation tools that the staff uses don’t provide any visibility into impacts on safety, carbon emissions, or racial disparity of access.  All we can see are delay, travel time, capacity, and mode share.  What we don’t measure, we don’t manage.  The answer is not to rely on changes to the travel demand model.  The staff needs to develop new analytical approaches.

Second, the steering mechanisms are stuck.  The alternatives accept the next 10 years as fixed, and the staff has found the model to be largely unresponsive to changes in the projects.  The projects selected are all through technical staff, there is very little community engagement in the development of projects.   

Third, the engine of transportation funding keeps chugging away, driving us in the same disastrous direction.  When we limit our alternatives to what we can fund with existing laws and rules, then we cannot even see what it would take to achieve our goals.  The final recommended plan needs to be fiscally constrained, that’s required.  But if alternatives were developed that achieved our goals, or even approached them, then we could all see what changes are going to be needed from the local, state, and federal levels.

The All Together alternative is the best of the bunch, but we’d like to point out a few ways in which it falls short.

1) There is no indication that the alternative is increasing funding to make our streets safer.

2) There is no indication that there is an increased investment in transportation demand management.  We have just seen that the capacity for telework is much greater than we ever imagined.  

3) There is no indication of investments in the infrastructure or incentives for electrification of our transportation system.

4) There is no indication of whether neighborhoods that are currently the heaviest users of public transportation will be closing the gap with neighborhoods that don’t use public transportation in terms of access to jobs or other destinations within 45 minutes.

5) While the alternative includes the conversion of a portion of the Durham Freeway to a boulevard, which may be a good idea if we could make sure that the benefits accrue to the Black residents whose community was destroyed in the first place, but at the same time we assume that we’ll push ahead with converting US70 and US15-501 into freeways.

It’s time for the DCHC MPO Board to direct the staff to develop a bold scenario that gets us on the path to our goals.  You need to find levers that will result in the creation of new navigation tools, that will unstick the steering wheel, and cut the engines to create time to fix those other problems.  We ask that you start by directing the staff to develop another alternative that would address all three goals and reduce the drive alone mode share by 25% by 2050.  Thank you.”

Update: I have been informed that Carrboro officially changed the name of their governing board to a Town Council. I have updated references to Damon Seils’ position from alderman to Council member.