Originally published by Chapelboro
The Chapel Hill Town Council is reviewing a feasibility study for an expanded and connected greenway network, aiming to improve bike and pedestrian travel throughout the town. This initiative is a key component of Chapel Hill’s Complete Communities Strategy, which envisions a future where residents can safely navigate town without relying on cars.
The study, led by McAdams, focuses on creating an actionable plan for designing and constructing the network. At a February 12 meeting, Iona Thomas, Principal-in-Charge at McAdams, emphasized the importance of this effort in shaping the town’s future.
“The town has done this amazing job of envisioning what the community wants to look like in the future—this connected community,” Thomas said. “A community that is safe, where you can make a trip without a car, separated from vehicle traffic, to a daily destination. And you want that for your whole community.”
Bridging Planning and Implementation
The planning effort received $1 million in federal grant funding in 2023, allowing the town to take concrete steps toward making its greenway network a reality. Thomas described the two-year study as a critical bridge between conceptual planning and actual project execution.
Beyond identifying ideal routes for bike and pedestrian travel, the study will also factor in transit and land use, ensuring the network aligns with Chapel Hill’s broader vision. Additionally, it will help provide accurate cost estimates, strengthen applications for federal funding, and ensure that proposed projects are feasible.
“Planning documents are like big, fat lines on the map,” Thomas explained. “But when it comes to getting a project on the ground, the consequences become very, very real.”
Greenways and Housing Development
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson highlighted how the project could also drive the creation of denser, middle-income housing along the greenways.
“This is actually the operationalizing of a huge part of our vision for the town,” Anderson said. “It is so, so exciting, and I think it’s really transformational for Chapel Hill.”
However, Anderson also acknowledged potential resistance from residents concerned about new connections between neighborhoods.
“We hear from the public that they don’t want us to allow a road to go through from one neighborhood to another,” she noted. “And we definitely hear that, but we also know that for the long-term health of our network, that might not be the best idea.”
Engaging the Community
Public engagement will be a major focus of the study. Mitchell Silver, Cultural Competence Advisor at McAdams, stressed the importance of addressing concerns through open dialogue.
“If there’s a group that’s reluctant to see an easement or a path through their neighborhood, that may warrant a deeper conversation,” Silver said. “Sometimes people say ‘safety.’ Well, what does that mean?”
Silver emphasized that building trust through listening sessions and focus groups will be key to the project’s success. The study also aims to remove barriers to participation, such as by offering language access and using plain language to communicate with residents.
Council Member Paris Miller-Foushee raised concerns about ensuring historically underserved communities have a voice in the planning process. Silver responded that preliminary listening sessions would take place before official outreach begins.
“Because we recognize that the harm is so deep that people cannot move forward because they’re still stuck in the past and concerned about what you do may inflict more harm,” Silver explained. “It takes intentional conversations.”
Next Steps
As the feasibility study moves forward, Chapel Hill residents are encouraged to review the latest network proposals and provide feedback. The public can follow the project’s progress and offer input through the town’s engagement website.
For more details, visit Chapel Hill’s official site or view the full Town Council meeting from February 12.
This article is based on original reporting from Chapelboro.
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