[Durham INC] [cranfordrd] Oppose repaving Cranford Rd; goal of modifying traffic patterns on streets

Mon Jul 21 15:11:50 EDT 2014

Ms. Drey:

In response to the multiple emails and telephone call that I have received about your request, I will attempt to answer as many of your questions as possible in this one email.

The re-paving of Cranford is scheduled to occur this week barring any weather or material delays.  Our maintenance division has received multiple requests from residents and motorists to repair various sections of Cranford.  Based on the number of requests that we have received, and after reviewing the pavement condition index (PCI) data that was recently generated for Cranford (an average rating of 40 out of 100, which means this street is in a very poor condition), we have decided to perform the major maintenance function of repaving this street.  This repaving effort will minimize overall maintenance costs and efforts at this location and will allow us to shift our resources to several other streets within the City that are in need of routine maintenance.

Based on the emails that have come in from very residents on that either live on or utilize this street, the majority seem to be in favor of this street being repaved.  However, if we (the Department of Public Works) receive a directive from our City Manager not to pave this street we will stop our scheduled paving operations and shift our efforts elsewhere.  I have copied the Deputy City Manager through which Public Works reports to City Manager on this email to make him aware of your request to delay the paving of Cranford.

Also, the evaluation of streets for speed reductions, traffic calming and information and details about speed bumps are all handled by the City's Department of Transportation.  They can be reached at (919) 560-4366.  You can also visit their webpage by using the following link to get more information about their various programs and services: http://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/dot/Pages/Home.aspx.

In addition, here are responses to some of the other questions that have been generated about our planned repaving efforts:

1.       As stated above, the repaving work is scheduled to occur this week or possibly early next week depending on the weather.

2.       Due to the milling and paving operation that will occur, all cars will need to be removed from Cranford.  Residents can utilize their driveways or the intersecting streets for parking if it is allowed.  The milling and paving process will be phased between basic preparations, milling operations and paving operations.  Our hope is complete all work within 5 days if the weather will allow it.

3.       The hours of each operation will be between 8am - 7pm.

4.       Typically we do not have any opposition to repaving streets, so conducting meetings with neighborhoods to discuss whether or not residents would like maintenance to occur on a street that they live on is not a regular practice.  This can be changed if the City Council directs the City Manager to implement a policy that requires all major maintenance activities to be vetted through a public process.

I believe that I have answered the major questions that were posed in the series of emails that were sent out over the weekend about the repaving of Cranford.  If I missed any important points I do apologize; the number of emails and questions about this issue started to become difficult to track.

Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions or concerns.

Marvin G. Williams
Director of Public Works
City of Durham
101 City Hall Plaza
Durham, NC  27701
Phone:  (919) 560-4326; ext. 30225
www.durhamnc.gov<http://www.durhamnc.gov>
City of Durham - Department of Public Works <http://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/pwd/Pages/Home.aspx>

From: Laura Drey [mailto:lauradrey at ncrrbiz.com]
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2014 4:46 PM
To: list serve Cranford Rd; Williams, Marvin; Murphy, Dwight; Council Members
Cc: inc listserv; Mark Schultz; News & Observer Durham news; News & Observer Durham News reporter Jim Wise; News Observer Editors; Herald Sun Editor; Herald Sun Community News; Herald Sun web editor; lsorg at indyweek.com; Melissa Rooney
Subject: Re: [cranfordrd] Oppose repaving Cranford Rd; goal of modifying traffic patterns on streets

Dear Marvin Williams, Dwight Murphy, Durham Council members and Durham Mayor, Cranford Rd neighbors, InterNeighborhood Council members, the Elf company, transportation activists,

Is repaving Cranford Rd a done deal? If not or if so for future reference what measures are in place for residents to appeal having their street repaved? Is there a certain percentage of property owners that need to sign a petition? If so how does one go about getting such a petition or does the interested party, or parties, need to draft the wording his, herself or themselves? The problem as I see it is when people are notified only one week prior to repaving those people who oppose the repaving cannot take any action to try to stop the repaving.

How does a person or a neighborhood go about getting a speed bump installed or getting existing speed bump(s) altered to actually slow down and lessen the amount of traffic? Does the same apply to getting a round-a-bout, closing the end of a street to public traffic and/or other traffic measures? (In the 1980s I helped the resident on Dollar Ave. who was the organizer who was trying to decrease the amount of traffic on Dollar Ave. I was not aware which method(s) the city had in mind to try to achieve these goals, although if I had known that the roundabouts did not slow down or decrease the amount of traffic I would not have participated in getting the first circle in all of Durham. I very much regret Dollar Ave. having its circles. If I recall correctly a petition was needed back than to be signed by 51% of the property owners in order to make modification(s) on the street.)

Thank you in advance for the information you provide. Others feedback is welcome as well.
Laura

---

On Jul 18, 2014, at 2:36 PM, Laura Drey lauradrey at ncrrbiz.com<mailto:lauradrey at ncrrbiz.com> [cranfordrd] <cranfordrd at yahoogroups.com<mailto:cranfordrd at yahoogroups.com>> wrote:

Dear Marvin Williams (Durham Director Public Works Department), Dwight Murphy (Durham Supervisor Public Works Department), Durham Council members, Cranford Rd neighbors, InterNeighborhood Council members, Elf and transportation activists,

I would really like it if the city would not repave Cranford Rd (near the Nasher Art Museum) between 751 (also called Academy Rd) and Anderson St for a number of negative reasons relating to the street being a cut through street and the layout of the road.

1. If/when the street is resurfaced I can guarantee that the traffic will increase.

2. I thoroughly believe that the speed of the vehicles will intensify. Faster vehicles will be dangerous to pedestrians as well as the numerous joggers, bicyclists and dog walkers that frequent the street and the few Elf (solar powered vehicles with 3 bicycle tires that are produced in Durham), especially given the curves. The street is driven on by those who live on the street, use the street to get to Duke's Fitness trail and others. When driving on the road you do not see the others on the road until you are very close to people.

3. It is already extremely difficult to back out of my driveway and with more vehicles this will make getting onto the street even harder.

I wish the city would reconsider and leave the indentations in the road as a means to having the number and speed of the vehicles remain as is. I understand that this is a last minute request but I did not learn until today that repaving the street is planned for next week.

I realize that there are 2 speed humps. I did not live here prior to the speed humps being installed but I did live on Dollar Ave. Dollar has speed circles and in all of my years of living on the street I did not notice that the speed helped to decrease the speed of many vehicles, except perhaps to the few vehicles that were unfamiliar with the circles and those who were already driving slowly.

I would not have moved onto the street if I had realized that Cranford Rd was a cut through street because I do not find cut through streets to be peaceful.

I would appreciate your considering my position. I am speaking only for myself and not any other residents on the block. Could you please pass the note along to other appropriate departments?

Thank you.

Laura
Laura Drey

__._,_.___
________________________________
Posted by: Laura Drey <lauradrey at ncrrbiz.com<mailto:lauradrey at ncrrbiz.com>>
________________________________
Reply via web post<https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cranfordrd/conversations/messages/1545;_ylc=X3oDMTJxMjZlMmxzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwNjM3NjU0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTE3MTE5NgRtc2dJZAMxNTQ1BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3JwbHkEc3RpbWUDMTQwNTcwODYwNA--?act=reply&messageNum=1545>

*

Reply to sender <mailto:lauradrey at ncrrbiz.com?subject=Re%3A%20Oppose%20repaving%20Cranford%20Rd>

*

Reply to group <mailto:cranfordrd at yahoogroups.com?subject=Re%3A%20Oppose%20repaving%20Cranford%20Rd>

*

Start a New Topic<https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cranfordrd/conversations/newtopic;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbzluZWVmBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwNjM3NjU0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTE3MTE5NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0aW1lAzE0MDU3MDg2MDQ->

*

Messages in this topic<https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cranfordrd/conversations/topics/1545;_ylc=X3oDMTM1bTVhOWk2BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwNjM3NjU0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTE3MTE5NgRtc2dJZAMxNTQ1BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3Z0cGMEc3RpbWUDMTQwNTcwODYwNAR0cGNJZAMxNTQ1> (1)

________________________________
[http://l.yimg.com/ru/static/images/yg/img/megaphone/1405705265_phpf3nZm6]
Yahoo Groups
<https://help.yahoo.com/kb/groups/overview-page-sln15400.html?impressions=true>
Improved Group Homepage!<https://help.yahoo.com/kb/groups/overview-page-sln15400.html?impressions=true>

The About page of your Group now gives you a heads up display of recent activity, including the latest photos and files
________________________________
[http://l.yimg.com/ru/static/images/yg/img/megaphone/1405432405_php75tX9k]
Yahoo Groups
<http://yahoogroups.tumblr.com/>
Control your view and sort preferences per Yahoo Group<http://yahoogroups.tumblr.com/>

You can now control your default Sort & View Preferences for Conversations, Photos and Files in the membership settings page.
________________________________
Visit Your Group<https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cranfordrd/info;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYzdhbXUzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwNjM3NjU0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTE3MTE5NgRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzE0MDU3MDg2MDQ->
[Yahoo! Groups]<https://groups.yahoo.com/neo;_ylc=X3oDMTJlaGhqM2xoBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzIwNjM3NjU0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTE3MTE5NgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTQwNTcwODYwNA-->
* Privacy<https://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/groups/details.html> * Unsubscribe<mailto:cranfordrd-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe> * Terms of Use<https://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/terms/>

.

__,_._,___

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20140721/3a956590/attachment.html>