Where the sidewalk ends depends on Elon Board decision
Elon’s Board of Aldermen considers plan for bike lanes, walking paths and street lights
By Hannah Williams
Sept. 3, 2008
ELON, N.C. – Walk northeast on Haggard Avenue from campus and you may find yourself in a precarious position: running out of sidewalk and sharing the road with motor vehicles. The town considers a plan to extend alternative commuters space on the road.
Elon’s Board of Aldermen decided to consider whether to accept the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Lighting Plan that aims to create new sidewalks, bicycle lanes, shared-use paths, safer intersections and increased lighting at its next regular meeting Sept. 9.
Jesse Day, Piedmont Triad Council of Governments regional planner, presented the plan to the board during its agenda-setting meeting Tuesday.
“This comprehensive plan will enhance walkability and bikeability of Elon and increase safety and security,” said Day.
According to the plan, which would be implemented over the next 20 years, the aim is for Elon to have by 2030 “a pedestrian, bicycle and lighting system that will tie major residential areas together, providing students and residents [with] safe and well-lit access from residential areas to campus academic and recreational facilities and the downtown.”
Town Planner Sean Tencer said that accepting the plan will help the town win grants to fund the developments.
Residents, committee members and interested parties prioritized plan initiatives, said Alderman Ron Klepcyk.
Top priorities identified included:
- Sidewalks along Williamson, Lebanon and Haggard avenues;
- Shared-use paths for both pedestrians and cyclists along Williamson Avenue, connecting Beth Schmidt Park and Ball Park Avenue and a shared-use ramp leading from Twin Lakes to the shared use path;
- Bicycle lanes on Williamson, Haggard and Westbrook avenues;
- Intersection safety improvements at six locations; and
- Lighting improvements in various corridors, especially University Avenue.
Jean Toms, who lives about a mile northeast of campus on Haggard Avenue, expressed her support for the plan.
“The way the traffic whizzes up and down that road, I really am worried about their [students’] safety. I’m anxious to see this done for the students as well as for myself.”
Day projected high use of the paths proposed in the combined bicycle, pedestrian and lighting plan: “If you build it, they will come.”
Construction costs for the proposed project total $8.9 million to be spent over the next 20 years: $2.6 million for 7.5 miles of sidewalk, $3.5 million for 12.1 miles of bicycle lanes and $2.8 million for 6.2 miles of shared use paths. The town, Elon University, and Twin Lakes Retirement Community will share the costs of implementing the plan.
The plan seeks funding from multiple sources including private grants, state grants and the North Carolina Department of Transportation Improvement Program.
Raises in property taxes and gas taxes may also be used to fund the project. The potential tax raise is yet to be determined and depends on the amount of grant money awarded.
Day highlighted that Elon residents would likely benefit from an improvement in quality of life and increased property values of about 5 to 7 percent if the plan were implemented.
“My ideal place to live would be in a community where there is a small grocery store and a drugstore and a coffee shop and a restaurant and a library close by and to be able to bike to those locations, and not have to get into my car and drive around,” said Toms.
She hoped that the new plan would make this possible in Elon.
Board members Ron Klepcyk and Mark Greene, Town Manager Mike Dula and Town Planner Sean Tencer said the town’s budget may be unable to absorb the costs of the proposed plan along with other developments and budgetary demands.
The full plan is available on the town’s website: http://www.elonnc.com.
In other business at the Tuesday meeting, the board:
- Discussed the possible locations for Elon’s new public library, Beth Schmidt Park or Firehouse Field, and postponed the decision to allow for further consideration.
- Heard a motion from Tencer to amend the Community Appearance Standards Ordinance to clarify that no junk is allowed in private lawn. The ordinance prohibits any cars, indoor furniture, garbage, etc. on lawns, with penalties ranging from a formal warning to a $500 fine.
- Scheduled voting Louis Wilkins as a new Planning Board member Sept. 9.
