Let NCDOT officials know where you stand

The Alston Avenue widening project proposed by the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) between N.C. 147 and Holloway Street should not neglect pedestrians and bicyclists. Since the project was first envisioned years ago, much has happened in the Alston Avenue neighborhood. A Hope VI grant, a new elementary school and aggressive community organizing have brought vibrancy to an area that has become less industrial.

The Durham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) submitted recommendations to NCDOT to provide a safer environment for walking and biking on Alston Avenue, including wider sidewalks and striped bike lanes. Most important was removal of right turn lanes at all intersections, which would make them much easier to cross by foot. These recommendations will facilitate non-automotive access to schools and services on both sides of Alston and encourage slower traffic speeds.

NCDOT rejected the majority of these recommendations, especially removal of the right turn lanes. NCDOT's plans for the Alston corridor will hamper efforts to transform this area into a more multimodal community, which will have an adverse impact on the daily activities of the local residents. We are encouraged that elected officials and staff from both the city and county have voiced their concern. We urge Durham citizens to contact them, and especially our NCDOT board representatives Kenneth Spaulding and Nina Szlosberg, and let them know that we want an outcome that is more sensitive to current conditions.

Local residents should not have to use a car to safely cross a street.

The writer is chairman of the Durham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission.

Daniel Clever
Durham
March 2, 2007