Rea Road Improvement Project
Public Meeting Questions – June 23, 2005
Rea Road Improvement Project
Public Meeting Questions/Comments Summary
Peace Moravian Church
June 23, 2005
7:00 pm
1. How long do you anticipate for bridge construction?
Bridge construction is anticipated to take at least nine months. This would include
construction of the temporary detour.
2. When will you have construction bonds?
Staff has recommended that Rea Road be included in a November 2006 Transportation
Bond Referendum. Approval of this recommendation will depend on City Council’s
approval of the FY07 Budget.
3. What is the total estimated time for construction?
The total time for construction is estimated to be two years including utility relocation.
4. Concerning the hills south of Cottonwood and MacAndrew, how will you be realigning
or releveling the hills?
We are proposing changes to the vertical profile of the roadway to address sight
distance problems that now exist from Carmel Estates to Reacroft Drive. These changes
will require that the roadway elevation change as much as eleven feet at the tributary
crossing and seven feet at Rea Branch.
5. How much more of right-of-way will you have to acquire?
The typical right of way width will be eighty feet. Currently the majority of right of way
is sixty feet in width (thirty feet from centerline along each side). There are segments
where the right of way has been widened due to development, such as at Carmel
Greens. In these areas, additional right of way will not be required. Temporary
construction easement areas will be acquired throughout the project. They vary in
width depending on how much cut or fill is required.
6. How did we miss the budget this year? Why was this project not a higher priority?
The City Manager recommended a property tax increase spread over the next two
years. This would have allowed for a referendum in the fall of 2006. Council did not
approve this increase and instead decided to reconsider a referendum during next
year’s budget review and approval.
Rea Road Improvement Project
Public Meeting Questions – June 23, 2005
7. Concerning the sidewalk issue, why did you choose 6-foot sidewalks rather than 4 or 5foot?
It is more difficult for people to walk side-by-side on a four or five foot sidewalk. The
recent Urban Street Design Guidelines recommend that all sidewalks along
thoroughfare streets be a minimum of six feet in width.
8. Concerning speed, what is the percentage of tickets given out now for speeding on Rea
Road? What is a feasible approach to slow down traffic between Highway 51 and
Colony?
We do not know the number of speeding tickets issued along Rea Road. A more
vigorous enforcement of the speed limit is one way to insure that traffic along this
stretch is within the posted speed limit.
9. What are your plans concerning bicycle traffic safety?
A dedicated bike lane (five feet in width) is proposed as one element of the typical
roadway section. This will extend the bike lanes from Carmel Road to NC 51,
approximately 3.3 miles.
10. How can we tame speeds on Rea Road? Can we put in speed humps?
Decreasing the average speed along Rea is related to enforcement of the posted speed
limit. Speed humps are not used on thoroughfare streets and would not be considered
for this project.
11. What about installing speed information signs?
Driver feedback signs, which display an approaching vehicle's speed adjacent to the
speed limit, are being tested in a few locations in Charlotte. Though they have shown
an initial reduction in maximum speeds, it is unknown if they will remain effective as
drivers become accustomed to them. If they prove to be effective as a permanent speed
control measure, the City would consider its use on Rea Road.
12. Is this just a continuation of the same design you have on Colony Road? If so, how
much this project will cost us?
Although the typical section is similar to Colony Road, we have included changes that
will improve the overall character of the road. The bike lanes are five feet in width
versus four feet. The planting strips and sidewalks are both six feet in width, moving the
pedestrian further from the travel lanes and providing a more comfortable walkway.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be from $12 to$15 million, including right
of way acquisition.
Rea Road Improvement Project
Public Meeting Questions – June 23, 2005
13. What about larger trucks coming through this area? Will this be a truck route?
This section of Rea Road, north of NC 51 is not a truck route. The only large trucks
allowed to use this section are those making deliveries, such as moving vans and
suppliers to the Colony Place commercial development.
14. Are you going to bury the power lines in these areas? Will they be relocated?
Burying the overhead utility lines is not recommended. The cost for relocating these
lines underground would exceed $3 million per mile. This cost would have to be
included in the project budget. The current line will be relocated as the road is
widened. We will work with Duke Energy and BellSouth to develop a plan that will
allow for the least amount of damage to the large trees in the area.
15. Why are power lines buried further down Rea Road?
The utility lines south of NC 51 were buried as the roadway was developed. This was a
choice made by the developers and NCDOT.
16. Why is the traffic light at Rea Road and Highway 51 not timed better for better traffic
flow?
The distance from Rea/Colony to NC 51 is approximately 1.2 miles. With the traffic
flow now on Rea, better timing of the signals is almost impossible. Turning movements
at the intersecting streets tend to create backups in the through movements that cannot
be accounted for in the signal timing.