1 Hour History Tours: Triangle Bikeworks July 27-30

 

2020 August Transit Service Improvements

 

How Do You Commute To Work Survey

The Association for Commuter Transportation and Center for Transportation Demand Management are conducting a nationwide survey of commuters to collect feedback on how COVID-19 may impact the mode split of commuters returning to worksites.  In order to gather a deep understanding of how commute patterns may change nationwide we are inviting you to provide feedback on how COVID-19 may impact your constituents commutes to work. 

Results from the survey will provide important information to transportation providers, policy makers, and employers on how to meet the needs of commuters and help ensure your return to the work site is safe and reliable.

This survey can be completed by all individuals currently working or planning to return to work in the coming months. The survey will take 8-10 minutes to complete.

As a thank you, all participants can choose to be entered in a drawing for one of five (5) $100 Amazon gift cards. All submission received by June 26, 2020 will qualify for the drawing.

                                          –  Association for Commuter Transportation

 

Saturday, June 6, is National Trails Day

Since 1993, National Trails Day has recognized the benefits that local greenways and trails provide for recreation, while promoting the wide variety of services trail systems offer. Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation traditionally celebrates National Trails Day on the first Saturday in June with a trail walk and tour of one of our greenways.   

This year we have developed a Virtual Trail Walk Challenge called #CHTrailsChallenge that highlights our 9+ mile paved greenway system, an interconnected system of bike and pedestrian corridors to many of our community parks, neighborhoods, retail and educational centers.  Our greenways provide recreational benefits as well as a number of public art experiences created by Triangle-based artists.   

Will you accept our challenge to go the distance? We challenge you to walk, run or ride all 9+ miles of Chapel Hill’s paved greenways from June 5 through June 12, 2020. Those who complete the challenge will be entered in a drawing to win one of five prize packs valued at $100 each. While you’re enjoying the greenways, be sure to snap a photo of yourself appreciating one of our many public art experiences and post your photo to social media using #CHTrailsChallenge.  

Completing the #CHTrailsChallenge includes logging your progress as you traverse in full the following greenways. Five winners will be drawn randomly from those that complete their challenge entries. To complete your entries for each greenway below, and to read more about the public art experiences, go to National Trails Day Virtual Challenge    

• Fan Branch and Morgan Creek Trail connector is 2.5 miles long to Merritt Pasture, accessible from two large parking lots at Southern Community Parks and Culbreth Middle School.  
• Bolin Creek and Tanyard Branch Trail connector is 1.9 miles, accessible from Umstead Park as well as a trailhead off Caldwell Street adjacent to the Northside Elementary School. 
• Meadowmont’s greenway, a 10-foot wide paved is 2.8 miles and starts at Rashkis Elementary School and ends at the western side of NC 54.   
• Lower Booker Creek Trail has a 10-foot wide 1.2 mile section that connects adjacent neighborhoods to the Eastgate Shopping Center. 

Check out this Promotional Video introducing the challenge!  You can find more information about greenways and trails here. 

While you seek to enjoy the outdoors, it is important that you are conscious of your personal space and respect the space of others. Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation staff posted signs along the greenways to remind residents of the six feet minimum spacing to keep distance from others.  

 

June 1st CHT Modifications- Chapel Hill Transit is running the weekday CM, D, G, J, NS, RU, S and U routes, GoTriangle’s 420 and EZ rider service

Chapel Hill Transit will begin running several regular routes with modified schedules. The CM, D, G, J, NS, RU, S and U routes will begin running their normal schedule until 8 p.m. when the routes will go out of service.

“Running these eight core routes provides a higher level of service, while allowing our maintenance team to keep an increased vehicle cleaning schedule,” says Jeffrey Sullivan, Chapel Hill Transit’s community outreach manager. “Our priority is to make sure riding transit is as safe as possible. We also want to provide reliable service to ensure people who depend on us are able to access work, healthcare and other essential services.”

The core routes will maintain their normal schedules, however, each route will end around 8 p.m. View the amended schedules via the links below. Trips that will not run are shown in gray.

• CM route (serving the Jones Ferry Lot)
• D route
• G route
• J route
• NS route (serving the Southern Village and Eubanks Park and Ride Lots)
• RU route
• S route (serving the Hedrick Building, NC-54 and Friday Center Park and Ride Lots)
• U route

EZ Rider will provide service from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Chapel Hill Transit will continue to provide six trips of GoTriangle’s route 420, connecting Hillsborough and Chapel Hill.

Buses will be limited to 10 people, while larger buses will be limited to 15 people. Tripper service will be available for some routes such as the NS and S, where we expect to see more passenger demand. Tripper service means several buses and operators will be on standby to provide additional service if a bus becomes full.

Chapel Hill Transit will continue to ask customers to board via the rear door unless a mobility issue makes it difficult for a customer to do so. Chapel Hill Transit also encourages all customers to use face coverings while on the bus.

“We are in the process of finding devices that can dispense face coverings and are working with vendors to get additional supplies in to help those who may not have access to face masks,” says Sullivan.

“We have also measured out spaces on our vehicles that allow six feet of physical distance and are placing signs to help passengers identify these seats.”

Chapel Hill Transit’s administrative offices will continue to be closed to the public. Lost and found will only be available by appointment. Call 919-969-4901 to speak with a team member.

Keep up with the latest information by signing up for service alerts and following us on Twitter to get the latest information and updates from our team.

“We know many people are eager to get back to normal,” says Sullivan. “Thank you for your patience as we begin to bring back our service safely.”

Bicycle Training Videos

Bike Workshop Videos – May 28 – 31

Video 15 – Let’s Go Biking – NCDOT

 Video 16 – Shifting Gears – League of American Bicyclists

Video 17 – Starting & Stopping – League of American Bicyclists

Bike Workshop Videos – May 23 – 27

Video 12 – Load A Bike Onto Bus, Town of Carrboro-OC-GoCH

Video 13 – Using A Bike Fix-It Station, Town of Carrboro-OC-GoCH 

Video 14 –  Cycling & Emergency Vehicles, Drive Safely,Ride Safely- OC

Bike Workshop Videos – Week 3

Video 8 – Bolts, Breaks, & Tires – Back Alley Bikes

Video 9 – Bike Alliance Chapel Hill (BACH) – Who We Are

Video 10 – Carrboro Bike Coalition (CBC) – Who We Are!

Video 11 – The ReCYCLEry – Who We Are!

Bike Workshop Videos – Week 2

Video 4 – Street Cycling & Parking a Bike, Town of Chapel Hill

Video 5 – Easy Riding Trails in Orange County, OC

Video 6 – UNC-CH Bike Map Info for Campus, Chapel Hill & Carrboro, TDM UNC-CH  

Video 7 – Cycling Safety Tips, Watch For Me NC

Bike Workshop Videos – Week 1

Video 1 – You Don’t Have To Be In The Band To Bicycle, Go ChapelHill

Video 2 – NC Bicycle Laws, Chapel Hill Police

Video 3 – Garage to Street, Bicycle A, B, C’s – The Clean Machine 

Daily Bicycle Puzzle

May 31 Bicycle Puzzle

May 30 Bicycle Puzzle

May 29 Bicycle Puzzle

May 28 Bicycle Puzzle

May 27 Bicycle Puzzle

May 25 & 26 Bicycle Puzzle

May 22-24 Bicycle Puzzle

May 20 & 21 Bicycle Puzzle

May 19 – Bicycle Puzzle

May 17 & 18 Big Wheel Bike Puzzle

May 15 and 16 Bicycle Puzzle

May 13 & 14 Bicycle Puzzle

Day 11 & 12 – Bicycle Puzzle  

May 9 & 10 Bike Puzzle

May 7 & 8 Bike Over the Moon  

May 6 Puzzle of the Day

May 5th Puzzle of the Day

May 4th Puzzle

Children’s Puzzles & Other Information At: 

The Amazing – Joe Switching Gear Duck Facebook

Bike Decorating Contest

Through May 31

• Age Group- 12 years and under

• Age Group-  13 – 17 years          

• Age Group-  18 years & above!

Get Your Name in the Hat for Gift Card Drawings!

Rules:

1. Decorate your bicycle and take a picture (you can be on the bike if you like)…

2. OR, Draw a picture of a decorated bicycle.

3. Email to goch@townofchapelhill.org with understanding that submissions could be posted on Social Media!

4. Include your name, age, email and phone number

5. Drawings on June 1st – Winners will be notified by email and some pictures will be posted on the GoChapelHill.org webpage

Practicing Bike-to-School-Day Ideas

1- GET OUT THERE: Get out for a walk or ride with your family! Can you take a ride around your neighborhood? Or take a walk to hunt for chalk art or signs created by others near you? Share a photo of your family or a location on your route with the tag #GoChapelHill.

2- SHARE: Do you have safety concerns with walking or biking around your neighborhood? Send information to goch@townofchapelhill.org

3- TALK: Hold a five-minute interview with family members about their experience walking or biking. Tag with #GoChapelHill and send to goch@townofchapelhill.org .  Look into online resources and biking and walking activities encouraged by your state or community transportation departments and advocacy groups

 

 

Make a difference in your neighborhood!

Great idea directly from BikeWalk NC following.   In this time of social distancing, do you find yourself spending even more time outside?  Join #brightsigns, BikeWalkNC’s Community Engagement event.  Safety Signs need to be seen if they are going to work.  Let’s all make #brightsigns and give our neighbors an even safer place to bike and walk.  Just post a photo of you or your family biking, walking or making #brightsigns.  Tag 5 of your friends and ask them to do the same.  Join in #brightsigns and see what a difference we can make together. Watch the #BrightSigns video here! Tag and share with 5 friends!

The Town of Chapel Hill is reminding the community to wear masks in situations where social distancing is difficult.

Because it is still possible for people who have no symptoms of coronavirus infection to transmit the virus to others, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends everyone wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as in grocery stores and pharmacies.

The Orange County Health Department has advised that face coverings are not a substitute for social distancing and that efforts to stay at least six feet from others should continue to be made when wearing a face covering. The department notes that both measures to slow transmission of the virus will especially help people in vulnerable groups. According to the CDC, these include people who:

• Are 65 years or older.
• Live in a nursing home or long-term care facility.
• Are immunocompromised due to cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, or prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications.
• Have chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, severe obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease or liver disease.

Face covering reminders

If using a face covering, exercise care when removing the mask. Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth when removing the covering. Wash hands immediately after.

Cloth coverings should be washed regularly, after each use if possible. Using a washing machine with hot water and regular laundry detergent should be sufficient, the Health Department has advised.

Surgical masks and N-95 respirators should be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders. For safety, cloth face coverings should not be placed on children under age two or anyone who has trouble breathing or is unable to remove the mask without assistance. See guidance from the CDC.

Need a face covering?

Cloth face coverings can be fashioned from household items such as scarves and t-shirts for personal use. The CDC has produced a video showing how a mask can be created using a t-shirt and rubber bands. Learn more about making sewn and non-sewn masks.

Cloth or handmade masks should:

• Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face, covering the mouth and nose.
• Be secured with ties, rubber bands or ear loops.
• Include multiple layers of fabric.
• Allow for breathing without restriction.
• Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape.

Chapel Hill and Carrboro Bicycle Stores are open during the Stay-at-Home time period.  Bicycles are essential for many, in order to get to essential jobs as well as for getting in daily exercise.  Shop owners are offering curbside service while reminding everyone to stay at least 6 – 10 feet apart during interactions and while cycling.

For hours and service contact the stores.  Services could be limited during this time.  Information can be found at each store’s website following.

The Bicycle Chain – Chapel Hill

Back Alley Bikes – Carrboro

The Clean Machine – Carrboro

PARcycles – Carrboro

Bolin Creek Trail between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Bolinwood Drive will be temporarily closed while soil and vegetation that contain coal ash deposits are removed.

In January 2020, construction resumed for completing the missing 500-foot section of the Bolin Creek trail connector east of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The trail construction has advanced to one of the final elements to be completed. This step includes the removal of soil and low-lying vegetation which contains coal ash deposits. The Town and environmental engineer Hart & Hickman anticipated this as part of this project.

In order to maintain safety for trail users, the Town is temporarily closing a portion of the Bolin Creek trail, located between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Bolinwood Drive (see image below). We will ask trail users to take an alternate route to safely detour the work site, using Bolinwood Drive and Hillsborough Street to walk around the closure.

In an effort to protect trees and their roots, we asked our contractor to use a piece of equipment called a vacuum excavator to carefully remove the soil with coal ash deposits. Our goal was to try and save as many large trees as possible. Upon removing the soil, we have discovered a significant amount of coal ash that is deeply embedded within the shallow roots of a number of trees. In order to take away the coal ash deposits from these areas, we will be removing 12 trees and replacing them in the fall when planting conditions are better.

We ask for the community’s help in staying out of the construction area until the remediation is complete. Assuming good weather and no unforeseen delays, we anticipate reopening this segment of the trail in May.

Town of Chapel Hill                                  April 9, 2020