Update August 2023

The Town received construction bids in the summer of 2023 for the renovation and extension of the Fordham Boulevard Sidepath Project. The bids exceeded the funding allocated for this project. The Town is working to develop next steps, with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Durham, Carrboro, Chapel Hill Metropolitan Planning Agency.  

Update on March 23, 2022

Fordham Boulevard Sidepath Project Receives Additional Funding

The Town of Chapel Hill has received $160,000 from Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Fordham Boulevard Sidepath. These funds will supplement funding already received from the Federal Highway Administration Transportation Alternative Program. 

Read the News Release from March 23, 2022

Project Background and Information: 

The Sidepath project will provide a multi-modal path along Fordham Boulevard between Cleland Drive and Willow Drive. This project is divided into two segments. The southern portion between Cleland Drive and Ridgefield Road involves upgrading the existing asphalt section to concrete.

The northern part consists of constructing a new path between Ridgefield Road and Willow Drive along the eastern side of Fordham Boulevard. It includes landscape buffering, noise abatement, and stormwater control. The project design and permitting is underway, and construction should begin this fall. 

April 14-15, 2021 - Site Meetings

Project site meetings to review the Sidepath alignment were held on Wednesday, April 14, from 2:00 – 4:00pm and on Thursday, April 15, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The Town of Chapel Hill's Project Manager, team members, and stakeholders participated in these meetings.  

April 12, 2021 - Virtual Public Information Meeting

A public information meeting was held on Monday, April 12, from 7-8:30 p.m. to review the current plans and next steps for the development of the Fordham Boulevard Sidepath. Questions and answers from this meeting are included below. 

Traffic-Calming Concept Plans Survey Results 

The Town of Chapel Hill received community input on the Fordham Boulevard Sidepath for addressing potential conflicts along the northern portion where the sidepath crosses Ridgefield Road and Walnut Street and will be moving forward with a combination of Option 1.1 and Option 1.2. This solution is based on feedback from stakeholders and residents received through the survey and the October 22, 2020, public meeting.

The design will include a traffic diverter to restrict right turns from Fordham Boulevard onto Ridgefield and raised crosswalks at Ridgefield and Walnut. The Town will also examine additional traffic-calming and safety measures in the final plans.

• For the first noise assessment (January 2020), two long-term noise measurements were obtained for 24 hours near STIP Project EB-5721. One measurement was taken west of Fordham Boulevard near the University Place shopping center (LT-1), and the other measurement was taken behind the residences along Hickory Drive (LT-2). Both measures were taken at the same distance from Fordham Boulevard's edge, however, LT-2 was slightly higher in elevation. Therefore, the noise levels tracked at LT-2 were generally higher (~5 dB). While LT-1 was located at approximately the same elevation as Fordham Boulevard, LT-2 was located about 5 feet higher than Fordham Boulevard. This elevation difference likely provided a more direct line of sight to LT-2, which caused the monitored noise levels to be higher than the monitored levels at LT-1 generally.

• For the second noise assessment (October 2020), two long-term noise measurements were obtained for 24 hours near STIP Project EB-5721. One measurement was taken west of Fordham Boulevard near the University Place shopping center (LT-1), and the other measurement was taken behind the residences along Hickory Drive (LT-2). Both measurement locations were the same distance from the edge of Fordham Boulevard, and the microphones were located at approximately the same elevation above the roadway. The noise levels fluctuated throughout the day; however, the monitored noise levels at LT-2 were slightly higher on average. The difference in noise levels isn't considered noticeable to the human ear.

Based on the noise level data collected in the field for both noise assessments and the information on vegetative buffers from FHWA, the existing vegetation between Fordham Boulevard and the residences along Hickory Drive isn't providing any noticeable reductions in traffic noise levels. However, the existing vegetation is likely providing a visual barrier from Fordham Boulevard traffic, which may cause perceived noise levels to be lower than they are. Although the multi-use path project proposes to remove the existing vegetative buffer, noise levels are anticipated to remain like what is experienced today.

A chronological summary of the initial Project is also included at the bottom of this page. 

Noise Monitoring Report - Fordham Boulevard

Town Arborists report outlining a visual assessment of trees along Fordham Boulevard from Ridgefield Road to Willow Drive.

Contact Information

Marcia Purvis, Project Manager
email: mpurvis@townofchapelhill.org 
phone: (919) 968-2750