CARRBORO, N.C. -- The Carrboro Town Council approved the creekside alignment for the Bolin Creek Greenway and reaffirmed its support for the continued pursuit of greenway development throughout the community at its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
The Council affirmed that this trail route is preferred because it connects the largest number of Carrboro neighborhoods to each other and to schools, parks, jobs, civic and social opportunities and downtown.
Tuesday’s vote followed a staff presentation of results from a community survey made available from June through October 2023, results of which showed a majority of community members who took the survey prefer the creekside alignment with about 66% favoring this trail route. The Town’s use of a variety of online tools - a survey, an interactive mapping tool, social media - as well thousands of postcards and flyers, door-to-door literature distributions in select neighborhoods, and outreach at community events with a commitment to engaging a diversity of voices - through translation, interpreters, and paper questionnaires - resulted in 1,769 survey responses and more than 700 comments about greenways and trail alignments. Many thanks to all all who participated in this engagement process!
The Council requested that Town staff report back to Town Council in spring 2024 with a description of next steps that would be required for the Town to follow up on this preferred alignment for the Bolin Creek Greenway, including coordination with the Town of Chapel Hill where needed.
More about greenways in Carrboro:
- Since the Bolin Creek Greenway concept plan was approved in 2009, the Town has completed two phases of the project. The Wilson Park Multi-use Path connects Wilson Park and nearby neighborhoods, Estes Drive, Estes Park Apartments, and the walking trails of the Adams Tract. The Homestead Road–Chapel Hill High School Multi-use Path connects the Winmore and Claremont neighborhoods to Chapel Hill High School, Smith Middle School, and Seawell Elementary School.
- Since the Morgan Creek Greenway concept plan was approved in 2010, design of the first phase is nearly finished. This phase will connect the Berryhill and Canterbury neighborhoods to Smith Level Road and planned greenway segments in Chapel Hill. Future phases will connect to neighborhoods near Jones Ferry Road, University Lake, and Carrboro High School.
- The first segment of the Jones Creek Greenway was completed in 2011 from the future Twin Creeks (Moniese Nomp) Park to Morris Grove Elementary. Construction of the short connection to the Ballentine, Legends at Lake Hogan, and Lake Hogan Farms neighborhoods is expected to begin next year. Future phases will connect to the Fox Meadow and Winmore neighborhoods.
Town staff have identified no new regulatory or technical challenges to continuing to use the Bolin Creek Greenway Conceptual Master Plan as a platform for future planning and implementation.
Learn more about the Bolin Creek Greenway at https://townofcarrboro.org/2762/Bolin-Creek-Greenway and access the Town Council meeting agenda materials at https://tinyurl.com/2rj8tvy8
