Draft Bike Plan Coming Up

Interested in Chapel Hill’s plans to create a more connected, bikeable community? You’ll want to participate in “Bike to the Future 2,” the release event for the Town’s draft Bike Plan set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive. Community members are welcome to review the draft plan and its recommendations.

The bike plan kicked off in May with a community forum. Work on the plan proceeded over the summer months with the creation of a crowdsourcing WikiMap and an online survey resulting in over 1000 responses about Chapel Hill’s transportation system.

Feedback from community responses along with a steering committee and a 15-member stakeholder group informed preliminary recommendations. When completed, the Chapel Hill Bike Plan will provide a “how-to-guide” for making Chapel Hill a place where more people can safely ride their bikes to more places in the community. A final plan is expected to be presented to the Council in November 2013.

“The vision for this Bike Plan is that Chapel Hill is a community where biking is a safe and convenient everyday choice for all types of riders throughout Town” said Jason Merril, a member of the Bike Plan Steering Committee.

The Bike Plan is part of DESIGN Chapel Hill 2020, the implementation phase of the community’s new comprehensive plan. “Connected Community” (including Chapel Hill Bike Plan) is one of the Big Idea initiatives that embody the essence of the Chapel Hill 2020 goals.

During the Chapel Hill 2020 planning process, residents expressed that they want more facilities and street design features that promote safe bicycling. People said there should be improved connectivity between important destinations and that bicycling can become part of a healthy active lifestyle.

Stay connected to the Bike Plan at www.townofchapelhill.org/bikeplan or
https://www.facebook.com/TheChapelHillBikePlan

Cyclists may also be interested in the “North Carolina Bike Summit” an event hosted by North Carolina Active Transportation Alliance (NCATA). This year’s summit will take place in Carrboro from Friday, Oct. 18 to Sunday, Oct. 20. For more information, visit: http://www.ncactive.org/content/nc-bicycle-summit

DESIGN Chapel Hill 2020 Newsletter Available

With a dozen meetings associated with DESIGN Chapel Hill 2020 scheduled this month, it may be a bit challenging to keep up with the implementation phase of the Town of Chapel Hill’s new comprehensive plan. A lot is going on!

Catch up on DESIGN projects in the September 2013 DESIGN 2020 Newsletter.

Town Manager Roger Stancil says: “Adoption of Chapel Hill 2020 as the comprehensive plan was not an end point, but a beginning. Adoption was a goal accomplished and the beginning of a journey to our preferred future.”

For more information or to receive email updates on various projects, contact us at info@townofchapelhill.org.