This section offers Cary citizens an update on the projects funded by the Shaping Cary’s Tomorrow Parks and Transportation Bonds overwhelmingly approved in a 2019 referendum.

Crossing Cary Via Greenway 

The White Oak Creek Greenway segment between MacArthur and Davis drives was completed via a 916-foot boardwalk and a 104-foot pedestrian tunnel under the CSX rail line. This long-awaited segment is one of the last needed to complete a 15-mile connection from Umstead State Park through Bond Park to the American Tobacco Trail. In celebration of the completion of this segment and of Cary’s growing greenway network, UNC-TV featured Cary greenways in a story on its “NC Weekend” show. UNC-TV has a statewide audience providing great exposure for Cary greenways and encouraging visitors to come and explore.

Sidewalk Projects 

Cary held a virtual bid opening for several sidewalk projects this spring. The projects include:

• Ederlee Drive from Richelieu Drive to Penny Road Elementary School;
• Penny Road from Kildaire Farm Road to Crickentree Drive; and
• Tryon Road from West Asheville Avenue to East Asheville Avenue. 

Construction is anticipated to begin this fall and continue through next year. In addition, the 14 new segments that are part of the FY 2019 and FY 2020 sidewalks projects are steadily advancing in surveying, design, permitting and real estate acquisition. The Louis Stephens Drive Sidewalk Project, including about one mile of road widening, sidewalks, multi-use trail and Cary’s first buffered bike lanes, is anticipated to be advertised for bids later this year. This project will serve as an opportunity to experiment and test various different progressive bike and pedestrian elements and allow staff to gauge usage and feedback from citizens.

Street Improvements Project

This May, Cary began construction for its annual Street Improvements Project. Construction is about 25 percent complete with repaving and asphalt patching already complete in Aerial Center Parkway, Gateway Centre Boulevard, Weatherstone, Glenkirk, Preston Highlands and Carpenter Village. Additionally, a contractor for the application of asphalt rejuvenation, pavement spray that extends the life of asphalt, is expected to start work this summer.

GoCary continues to prepare for system-wide operational changes later this year with construction set to begin this summer on bus stops for new and expanded routes. Existing bus shelters have been upgraded with fresh paint and LED solar lighting. New solar panels were installed to maximize sunlight exposure and reduce shading issues that interfere with performance. The panels provide clean energy for high-quality dusk to dawn LED lighting while maintaining three days of “reserve” energy in case of bad weather. The true color, natural lighting produced by the LEDs decreases eye strain and increases safety for waiting passengers, making it easier for bus drivers to see them at night. GoCary is the first transit system in the U.S. to install solar lighting of this quality.      

Bike Month in May was reimagined this year as staff developed new methods for community outreach and engagement that adhered to social distancing guidelines. Social media was a vital component with posts focusing on bike education, safety and ride recommendations. Additionally, virtual engagement opportunities encouraged the community to join teams, challenge friends and earn prizes and awards for their bike rides throughout May. 

Cary also launched a new Bike Cary website, which consolidates bike safety tips, education guidance, recommended rides, greenway information and upcoming projects. It also highlights an interactive survey to kick-off the public engagement phase of an update to the Bike Cary design guide. With more than 1,000 responses to date, the input received will provide guidance and insight into how and why the community rides, what types of facilities the community feels safest on, and any barriers that may limit riding. Results show greenways and street-side trails appear to be the overwhelming favorite for bike facilities. Exercise and fun are cited as the top two reasons for riding, and traffic cited as the top reason for not biking more frequently.  

Staff will develop a context-based guide for bike facility design by corridor based on data from community input, stakeholder responses and industry guidance. Finally, staff are planning “pilot” bike lane installations so users can physically try different bike facility types and provide feedback that can be incorporated into the guide and future designs. This outreach will continue into 2021 as staff explores how to connect and enhance our bike network in Cary.  

Bicycle and pedestrian counting devices are located at several locations across Cary, including on the Black Creek Greenway, Louis Stephens Drive street-side trail and Lake Pine Drive. Two additional units are periodically circulated throughout the bicycle and greenway system. The devices, which Cary purchased from EcoCounter, are designed to compile bicycle and pedestrian usage data on the Town’s greenway and bicycle system. In June, Black Creek Greenway saw some of its highest usage with 1,491 users recorded on June 21. Likewise, Symphony Lake had a total of 1,028 users on June 29. The collected data helps staff evaluate bicycling and walking usage on Cary’s system, monitor commuting patterns and recreational trips, identify trends, prioritize infrastructure projects, support grant applications and plan for future facilities.

Cary completed one new traffic signal installation and two pedestrian improvement projects in June. These include:

• The installation of a traffic signal at Weston Parkway at the intersection of Sheldon Drive and Weston Estates Way, including mast arm poles, a future CCTV camera for remote monitoring and fiber optic cable connectivity to the Traffic Management System. 
• Pedestrian signal upgrades on Tryon Road at New Waverly Place and Keisler Drive, including pedestrian crosswalks and signals, green time for left turns and pedestrian curb ramp upgrades. 
• Pedestrian signal upgrades on Kildaire Farm Road at Lochmere Drive, including pedestrian crosswalks and signals along with curb ramp upgrades.

The first virtual formal bid award was conducted for the purchase of 45 CCTV cameras for the Cary Advanced Transportation Management System. Bids were accepted from 35 bidders with the contract being awarded to Halifax Security, Inc. for a project cost of $103,031. With the addition of these 45 cameras, the Cary transportation management system will include 170 CCTV cameras at the 215 traffic signals within the network.

In response to concerns by Cary High School administration about students crossing Walnut Street via crosswalk multiple times per day, Cary staff determined a pedestrian hybrid beacon is appropriate for this location. A pedestrian hybrid beacon is a traffic control device designed to help pedestrians cross busy or higher-speed streets midblock. A pedestrian waiting to cross would press a button, activating overhead flashing lights that alert drivers. This device can reduce pedestrian-related crashes by 55 percent, according to National Cooperative Highway Research Program research. 

Cary staff received cost estimates for design and is in the process of conducting a preliminary survey using drone technology to aid in design decisions. Next steps include design and review by Cary and the N.C. Department of Transportation. Installation is expected to be complete within the next year. Cary already has pedestrian hybrid beacons at the intersection of Evans Road and the Crabtree Creek Greenway as well as the intersection of Green Level Church Road and Dennison Lane/Jewel Creek Drive.

For the first time in the 15-year history of Cary’s Traffic Management Center, communication has been established to 100 percent of the devices in the Advance Transportation Management System. All traffic signals, CCTV cameras and video detection units are remotely accessible through Centracs Central Signal System Software. Cary has always carried a high percentage of communication within our system, but the latest connection of two traffic signals in the northwest portion of Cary results in total communication in our network.  

The first-ever Dynamic Left Turn Intersection was installed in February at the intersection of Cary Parkway and Tryon Road. The intent was to improve operations for off-peak drivers by allowing permissive left turn movements on a flashing yellow arrow rather than having drivers wait for a green arrow. This concept has been operational through Q4 of FY 2020 with no reports of crashes.  

During Q4, sponsoring organizations Cary, N.C. Department of Transportation and the Regional Transportation Alliance met to discuss the operations of the intersection and make adjustments to ensure drivers are given the information they need for a successful pilot project. A private engineering consulting firm will commence an interim analysis in July to review compliance rates. A full analysis of the operational impacts is still on hold until traffic volumes return to pre-COVID-19 levels.

In May, the intersection of Walker Street and East Chatham Street opened to traffic as the Walker Street Improvements Project reached substantial completion. This project added enhanced aesthetics and pedestrian accessibility in this area, including brick sidewalks, upgraded wheelchair ramps, new decorative traffic and pedestrian signals, as well as upgraded street lighting, utilities and storm drainage. It also provided sidewalk improvements adjacent to the First United Methodist Church and made provisions to support improvements proposed at the Rogers Building site. Final project completion will follow landscaping this fall once cooler temperatures return. 

Construction on the Reedy Creek Road Widening Project began in June. Safety is a top priority and the project team has worked to modify construction operations and procedures with the contractor due to COVID-19. Clearing operations and installation of erosion control measures are moving forward.

Construction on the railroad bridge overpass and associated street realignment is about 55 percent complete. In May and June, the contractor worked to complete vertical retaining wall reinforcement to help support the new bridge. Staff continues to work with the contractor to identify and implement measures to enhance bridge aesthetics that will complement and reflect the special history of the Carpenter Historic District. Roadway construction continues between N.C. 55 and Good Hope Church Road, including installation of the first round of asphalt pavement.