Sidewalk under construction

Utility-line relocation is underway along James Street and construction of a sidewalk there is on schedule to begin as early as this fall, Carrboro officials say.

According to George Seiz, director of Carrboro Public Works, the town is working to move utility lines along the street to allow for the construction of the sidewalk. Seiz said that the town has obtained about half of the easements necessary to begin construction on the sidewalk.

“Tentatively, we’ll be opening bids at the end of September or the beginning of October for construction,” he said.

The James Street sidewalk is part of a sidewalk bond project approved by voters in 2003. The project includes 0.65 miles of sidewalks, from West Main Street to Hillsborough Road.

The 2003 referendum authorized the town to spend up to $4.6 million on sidewalks and greenway trails, and James Street was one of the areas initially identified for the project’s phase-one sidewalk projects.

However, phase one included 20 projects throughout Carrboro, and the James Street project has faced design challenges with topography, utilities and drainage that have taken more time to sort out than those of other projects.

With a post office at one end of the street and the McDougle schools near the other end, pedestrian traffic on James Street is fairly heavy. The street has speed bumps and stop signs to slow down through traffic, but residents and other community members have said it’s not enough.

After a number of meetings with residents, the town developed plans for a James Street sidewalk and hoped to begin construction this fall.

“I think we’re going to meet that,” Seiz said.