DRAFT last revised March 11, 2009 Note: Draft memoranda produced by the consultants do not necessarily reflect the most recent study group discussions or minutes. Ideas expressed in recent and future study group meetings will be reflected in future versions of memoranda. Consultants and study groups will begin to identify the gaps at the March 23 Public Workshop. Davidson Comprehensive Plan Memorandum MOBILITY Rather than a discussion of the transportation system that serves Davidson in a conventional sense, this discussion is focused on mobility in a more holistic sense. Typically, these type assessments are divided into components such as roadways, transit, and pedestrian/bicycle. As Davidson is not a conventional locale, the discussion in this document is divided more along the lines of movement types in context. Each mode of transportation is discussed and documented as it relates to the region, the immediate community, Downtown Davidson, and the entry portals or Town Gateways. In this way, we are able to show the connections and relationships among the land use forms and character and the transportation choices that facilitate realization of the vision of Davidson as a walkable, livable, and sustainable community. REGIONAL MOVEMENT Regional mobility is served by all modes within the Town of Davidson. The area has become attractive for Charlotte-area residents due to the small town feel and character, traditionally high property values, and excellent schools. The regional transportation system makes it relatively easy for families to locate in Davidson even though the bulk of employment is elsewhere. Challenges exist with geographic limitations due to lack of ancillary network and finding constraints, but the area for the most part does not suffer from a regional disconnect due to transportation. INTERSTATE 77 (I-77) Through Davidson, I-77 is a four-lane freeway that provides a major regional connection with Charlotte s City Center and other destinations in the region. I-77 intersects Interstate 85 within the Charlotte City limits, as well as twice intersecting each of the loops of Interstate 485 and Interstate 277. At Statesville, I-77 provides a connection with Interstate 40. Widening of I-77 up to Exit 23/Gilead Road in Huntersville was accomplished in 2006, but plans to continue the widening up to Exit 36/Mooresville through Davidson are in limbo due to lack of funding. In 2003, NCDOT carried out feasibility study of proposed widening of I-77 from South of NC 73 near Huntersville to I-40 near Statesville. The study addressed widening I-77 from the existing four-lane freeway to a basic eight-lane freeway. Although included in
the region s long range transportation plans, the widening of I-77 has no current dedicated funding and implementation is likely over ten years in the future. When there are incidents on I-77, regional and through traffic overflows onto NC-115 as a relief route which generates significant traffic congestion through Downtown Davidson. Queues during these incidents often extend south into the Town of Cornelius, creating hazardous conditions for pedestrians along and across Main Street. Although this condition is experienced in other Lake Norman communities, the lack of an additional proximate north-south corridor exacerbates the issue. Fortunately, this situation does not occur frequently, but when it does, Main Street comes to a halt. Can network additions and improved connectivity temporarily or permanently offset the widening of I-77? NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 115 (NC-115)/OLD STATESVILLE ROAD NC-115 is a primary state highway in the State of North Carolina. It runs from US-21 in Charlotte, north through Mecklenburg, Iredell and Wilkes counties. NC-115 passes through downtown Davidson as Main Street. The Downtown Davidson section of NC 115 is a walkable urban setting with on-street parking (both angled and parallel), pedestrian crossings, and other streetscape elements. NC 115 and Griffith Street is a confluence point of traffic traveling north-south and east-west through the downtown area, and is also the 100% corner for the Town with corners occupied by the Town Green, Davidson College, and Main Street businesses. The predominant traffic flow follows NC115, or north-south through the downtown. North of Downtown, NC 115 transitions into a much more rural section serving Iredell County, with speed limits of 45 to 55 mph. Streetscape work has been completed on NC 115 to improve the walkability of NC-115 in the downtown Davidson area. Nothing has been done to enhance the capacity of NC- 115 and due the development that has occurred around the corridor and the history of the area. Our meetings with stakeholders confirms that widening of NC 115/Main Street through Town would not be an option and that north-south capacity increases should be limited to I-77 and other network enhancements When there is an incident on I-77 that causes traffic to overflow NC-115 as an alternate route, it becomes very difficult to access the downtown area via vehicle due to congestion. This condition also significantly changes the walkable nature of Downtown, with it being more hostile to stroll along or cross Main Street during these incidences.
How can Davidson continue to grow and prosper given the regional north-south roadway constraints? NC-73 (SAM FURR ROAD) NC-73 is a strategic highway corridor in regional traffic movements. MUMPO plans to widen NC 73/Sam Furr Road from US 21 (Statesville Road) to east of NC-115 (Old Statesville Road); this project has recently been advanced for construction contingent on the receipt of transportation stimulus funding. NC-73 forms an important east-west link between Lincolnton and Cabarrus and also more localized movements from I-77 east and west. The NC-73 Transportation/Land Use Corridor Plan (2004) is a coordinated land use and multi-modal transportation plan for a 35 mile corridor sponsored by three counties, five municipalities, three chambers of commerce, one rural planning organization, two NCDOT divisions, and NCDOT s Transportation Planning branch. It was an innovative project for implementation jointly by NCDOT and local jurisdictions integrating local land use plans with strategic regional needs. The plan addresses the land use context, road typologies, access management, segment plans, inter-jurisdictional cooperation in implementation, and funding, design and construction. This study was followed in 2007-2008 by the NC 73 Small Area Plan jointly funded by the Towns of Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville that developed a strategy for growth and transportation mobility along the NC 73 corridor between US 21 and Poplar Tent Road, along with the Davidson- Concord Road corridor. The lack of funding has been a major issue in the widening of NC-73. The other issue is the lack of alternative corridors to the NC-73 corridor. Near I-77 the auto-dominant development pattern can generate congestion along the NC-73 corridor. Typical of many of the northern interchanges along I-77, the multitude of driveways and intersections create hazardous conflict conditions for motorists and a pedestrian and bicycle-hostile corridor. The Town needs to continue an active collaboration with neighboring communities interested in creating additional capacity on NC 73 to insure that the development pattern and eventual roadway enhancements are designed and implemented in a contextsensitive, multi-modal manner. PROSPERITY CHURCH ROAD EXTENSION
Prosperity Church Road Extension (proposed) can address the need for an additional north-south network segment in the area. This connection would tie into the existing Davidson-Concorrd Road/Rocky River Road to provide additional grid elements and additional capacity in the area connecting Davidson with NC-73 between Mooresville and Kannapolis. The proposed extension would also provide a direct link from Davidson-Concord Road on the east side of Town to the proposed (yet unfunded) missing link of I-485. The Prosperity Church Road Extension Corridor Study was completed by the Town of Huntersville to identify a corridor or corridors that safely meet the need for projected vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian travel within the study area while protecting eastern Huntersville s rural heritage and unique environmental and historic features. The Extension was also included in the planning for the NC 73 Small Area Plan. Currently, there are development proposals in various stages of entitlement at the intersection of NC 73 and the proposed Extension connection to Davidson-Concord Road. The Prosperity Church Road Extension project is not funded, and neither is the northeast segment of the I-485 loop. Also, there has historically been a disconnect in the idea of what the impact on Davidson-Concord Road will be, with Davidson preferring to keep it as a mostly 2-lane facility and pressures from the municipalities to the north and south for it to be widened to 4-lanes. The Town needs to continue collaboration with adjacent jurisdictions on this project and continue to be stewards of this East Davidson area to insure that the character of this area remains consistent with planning efforts. Davidson should hold firm in its commitment to maintaining the character of this corridor while considering efforts to balance transportation and provide other growth services such as village crossroads centers within this area. REGIONAL TRANSIT AND VANPOOL SERVICE The 77x North Mecklenburg Express provides fixed route, direct express service between Davidson and Charlotte City Center. The service is operated by Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) on the following schedule: Monday to Friday: (AM and PM Peak) 15 minutes; (Evening Off peak) hourly Midday: no service Saturday: midday service only 90 minute headway Sunday: no services CATS Vanpool services provide a flexible schedule, flexible route alternative for commuters.
The Charlotte Area Transit System s proposed North Corridor Commuter Rail Project (Purple Line) will operate along 30 miles of the existing Norfolk Southern rail line (the "O" line) from Center City Charlotte to Mount Mourne near the Lowes Corporate Campus in southern Iredell County. The alignment parallels Graham Street in the south and Old Statesville Road (NC-115) in the Davidson area. The North Corridor commuter rail project is being planned in two phases and is projected to have more than 4,500 riders daily in the first phase. Initial service focuses on the rushhour commuter with 16 daily commuter trains operating in one direction (rush direction) at a time. Project costs are estimated to be around $260 million dollars, plus the costs of the Charlotte Gateway Station. A combination of local, state, and private funds are proposed to fund the project. There is some optimism that the Purple Line will fall under the category of shovel ready in the recently-approved Federal Stimulus package and can be advanced for a 2010 opening. Originally, 17 potential station locations along the commuter rail alignment were identified in the Major Investment Study (MIS). Further analysis has reduced the 17 potential stations to a maximum of 12 initial locations along the commuter rail alignment based on access, site characteristics, and compatibility with surrounding development, potential development, and public comments. All stations will be serviced by the CATS' network of feeder buses. The proposed Davidson station will be proximate to Main Street and will likely facilitate transit-oriented development and a need for parking in the immediate station area. There is a desire for transit services to be introduced along NC-73 from Lincolnton to Kannapolis. No transit service is currently available along Davidson-Concord Road to serve as a connection from the newer communities in East Davidson to Downtown and the proposed Purple Line station. Additionally, the Purple Line was originally envisioned to serve Downtown Mooresville; lack of funding participation seems to have now truncated the line at Mount Mourne in southern Iredell County. If the Purple Line cannot meet financial feasibility and ridership requirements should Iredell County continue its position of non-funding, the Lake Norman communities (including Davidson) will need to find a viable regional transit alternative. REGIONAL ON-STREET BICYCLE FACILITIES The Davidson area has become a draw for area recreational cyclists due to the bicyclefriendliness of the community and the unique scenery and topography characteristic of the area. Rocky River Road is heavily cycled, mostly by recreational cyclists, on weekends with a good amount of traffic during the week. The Town has been very
proactive in providing both on and off-street facilities within the Town, but these facilities often disappear at the Town Limits. Neighboring jurisdictions and NCDOT have not been nearly as proactive in bicycle connectivity along regional corridors, and that has been a challenge to providing seamless connections to area greenway facilities. The Davidson Bicycle Transportation Plan (2008) lays out a strategy for the implementation of a variety of bicycle facility types to provide accessible connections between the Town of Davidson and adjacent communities. The plan addresses the range of skill and comfort levels involved in cycling and the range of conditions for bicycling in different roadway environments. Funding is not provided to date for the completion of major regional connections. Additionally, the priority to balance existing roadway enhancements with regional bicycle connectivity has not historically been a priority when compared to swift and efficient movement of motor vehicles on the regional and state roadway system. While CATS has added bike racks to the 77x buses, cyclists are served on a first-come first served basis and the racks often are full. As gasoline prices spiked in the summer and fall of 2008, there became a realization by many residents that cycling could be an alternative to automobile commuting. However, connectivity in a regional sense does not exist except for the most experienced and confident cyclists. LOCAL MOVEMENT LOCAL ROADS/NETWORK Davidson has been at the forefront in smart and sustainable transportation planning initiatives. Davidson has been proactive in requiring that developments provide continuous roadway connections, neighborhood street connections be made, and that town-wide connections be made to improve mobility. Where roadway connections are not possible, the town has also encouraged the development of bicycle and pedestrian network elements. Roadways are no wider than necessary allowing most neighborhood streets to have traffic calming elements inherent to their design, resulting in lower vehicle speeds and a more walkable environment. The Town continues to work toward walkability even on higher-trafficked corridors such as Griffith Street, constructing the roundabouts and narrowing the roadway as it transitions from the I-77 area into Downtown. The Davidson Circulation Plan (2003) was completed by the Circulation Stakeholder s Committee and Davidson Planning Department. The plan provides recommendations to
enhance street connections plus the concurrent goal of improving pedestrian and bicycle connections. Recommendations include input from the Committee of 21 citizen stakeholders, the Town s planning staff, and a consulting firm specializing in this subject. The Town of Davidson s 2004 Connectivity & Traffic Calming Plan articulates a clear vision of retaining and reestablishing a livable and sustainable traditional development pattern in the Town. Livable streets were envisioned to accommodate all modes of travel, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. In addition, the Town has taken an active role in the alternatives development of retrofit safety measures such as the reconfiguration of the Davidson-Concord Road and Rocky River Road intersection, which has been proposed as a rural roundabout by the Town. Last year, the Bailey Road Extension was opened as an important piece of east-west connectivity between NC 115/Old Statesville Road and Davidson Concord Road at Robert Walker Drive which is the northern entrance to River Run. The extension forms a seamless connection between US 21/Statesville Road in Huntersville to East Davidson, and affords access to the Davidson Greenway, Bailey Middle School and recreational park facilities, and the new high school under construction. There may be a desire to develop specific road design standards in the form of a Complete Streets plan for Davidson. However, the inherent flexibility in current design guidelines should allow for most walkable designs that the Town may desire. A balanced collaboration between the Town and the emergency responders is also in its infancy as a result of a perceived lack of communication over the years with regard to transportation facility design. By providing more lifestyle choices to work, shop, and play in Davidson, more trip purposes can be satisfied within Davidson and be made by walking or cycling. This lack of facilities is especially evident in the residential communities of East Davidson which is still largely auto-reliant for goods and services. The end result will be a complete and walkable community with less reliance on the automobile for travel. Growth in the eastern areas of the Town has traditionally not been well-received by existing residents in that area. Education of how a sustainable and context-sensitive growth and development pattern in that area can benefit the community and actually reduce travel demands on Town roadways and facilities. LOCAL CIRCULATOR SERVICE The Village Rider (CATS Route 96) Davidson is a local, personalized service that picks up passengers from areas up to 3/4 mile from the main route. Upon receipt of the rider s pick-up point and time and drop-off point and time, CATS customer service representatives call the driver to determine the time for the trip, and let the rider know
when the rider will be picked up. If a rider has a set routine, daily shuttle service can be scheduled by filling out the "Reserve Your Seat" form. That way, the rider won't have to call every day. Reservations are to be made one day in advance. The fee for this service is 50 cents, CATS pass or a transfer. The Village Rider has been a popular service in Davidson. However, funding constraints due to the drop in transit tax revenues have forced CATS into evaluating cuts in service, including both the Village Rider and 77x Express Bus. The eventual completion of the LYNX Purple Line will require a rethink of routing to deliver commuter rail riders to and from the station. Areas in Town served by the Village Rider are for the most part extremely walkable in nature, a result of the Town s policies with regard to roadway design and urban design. There will be a need for enhanced local transit connections among Downtown, Davidson College, and the Exit 30 area once commuter rail services begin. Some of these services could be warranted prior to the opening of the Purple Line, affording mobility to a latent transit demand in the Town. Although CATS recently received the ½ cent sales tax earmark as a dedicated funding source, economic challenges have cut into capital and operating revenues significantly. The Town needs to develop a strategy to leverage the pending implementation of the Purple Line into enhanced local transit service for the community. LOCAL PARATRANSIT SERVICES Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) Special Transportation Services (STS) provides Paratransit service to qualified elderly and disabled residents in Mecklenburg County, including Davidson. STS is a demand response service, aided by mobile data terminals and computer dispatching and scheduling software. STS provides the paratransit service required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Many area resources for marketing the services available through CATS exist, such as the Ada Jenkins Center. The Davidson community has always been extremely involved and proactive in promoting programs available for families and individuals for which programs such as the CATS paratransit would serve. A central clearing house for information dispersal should be considered for newcomers to the Davidson area to highlight the transit services and programs available.
Paratransit is often an afterthought in the transit planning process. As Davidson continues to become an attractive locale for retirees, can transit serve an aging population that could be dependent on its use, and what facilities should be enhanced to serve that need? LOCAL BICYCLE FACILITIES There are a number of quality on-street bicycle facilities and well as greenway connections that provide linkages throughout the Town. The Randall R. Kincaid Trail affords residents and visitors a natural experience replete with wildlife and natural flora and features that creates a nature experience for walkers and bikers right in Town. A combination of bicycle lanes and an adjacent multi-use path allows a connection to Main Street and Davidson College for residents of the areas east of Downtown all the way to the River Run community. The slow speed walkable nature of the Town s street network is conducive to cycling as well. The Davidson Bicycle Transportation Plan (2008) lays out a strategy for the implementation of a variety of bicycle facility types to provide accessible connections for the range of skill and comfort levels involved in cycling and the range of conditions for bicycling in different roadway environments. The plan lays out a recommended bicycle facility network that includes a mix of signed/shared roadway, bicycle lanes, "sharrow" markings, sidewalks, paved shoulder and greenway elements. Some of the rural roads within Davidson are perceived as too narrow for bicycles and cars to share safely, especially for novice cyclists or families with small children. Davidson-Concord Road south of River Run and Rocky River Road are two such facilities. This condition makes it difficult for these categories of cyclists to ride to regional park facilities that are proximate distance-wise, such as Bradford Park and Fisher Farm. The Town has done a commendable job in making the area bicycle-friendly. The biggest challenge that exists is on facilities for which the Town does not control design parameters, such as NC 73 and Davidson-Concord Road in East Davidson. Increasing coordination (and education) efforts with entities such as NCDOT will be needed to ensure that improvements to these facilities adequately consider non-motorized users of the roadway and are context-sensitive in their design parameters. LOCAL SIDEWALKS All of the streets in new Davidson developments are designed with continuous interconnected sidewalks. The connected and calmed roadway design parameters that the
Town espouses and requires also promote pedestrian accessibility in the Town. Furthermore, off-road facilities such as the Randall Kincaid Trail and multi-use path along Davidson-Concord Road provide pedestrian access from outlying areas via dedicated facilities. The Town uses programs such as Walks & Rolls and Walking Wednesdays to promote walking as a healthy, viable mobility alternative to younger residents of the community. The Davidson Circulation Plan (2003) was completed by the Circulation Stakeholder s Committee and Davidson Planning Department. The plan provides recommendations to enhance street connections plus the concurrent goal of improving pedestrian and bicycle connections. Recommendations include input from a Committee of 21 citizen stakeholders, the Town s planning staff, and a consulting firm specializing in this subject. Universal design to provide accessibility for the entire community, street lighting in places, pedestrian-oriented design at crossings, and continuous sidewalk facilities at some locations have all been cited in the stakeholder groups as potential shortfalls to be addressed. Similar to the discussion on bicycle facilities, the Town has a challenge of coordinating with agencies that control road improvements not under the Town s purvey. Additionally, the Town must develop new strategies to fund enhancements since traditional funding sources have become so limited. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL The Davidson Rocks and Rolls group has been at the forefront of Davidson s Safe Routes to School initiatives geared at encouraging children grades K through 8 to walk and cycle to school. Davidson Elementary School has been active in International Walk to School Day and establishing a Walking School Bus program. There is a desire to continue tapping into Safe Routes to School funding to develop Davidson s sidewalk network. There is also a desire to work with adjacent Town of Cornelius to develop quality connections between Davidson and Bailey Middle School, particularly along Bailey Road. Bailey Springs Drive to Bailey Road will need crosswalks. The new Parks and Recreation and planned school site will also require bicycle and pedestrian connections.
Awareness of these programs with new and existing residents continues to be a challenge, although the Town has done a good job in marketing. Coordination with neighboring communities that have schools that fall within the 2-mile SRTS improvement radius could provide more coverage and continuity to improvements funded under the SRTS funding. PARKING DOWNTOWN DAVIDSON Downtown Davidson consists of several commercial nodes. The South Main area largely accommodates its own parking needs in existing off-street parking lots. Sadler Square, the Cotton Mill, and CVS each have parking facilities to serve customers, although only the Sadler Square lot is signed as a private lot for patrons only. The Village Core (bound by Main Street, Jackson Street and Griffith Street) is exempt from parking requirements with the expectation that parking will be accommodated in public lots and on-street parking. Main Street has parallel parking on the west side and angle parking on the east side adjacent to the Town Green. New development, in locations other than the Village Core, is subject to the Town parking requirements, as outlined in Chapter 10 of the Planning Ordinance. The town has carefully designated parking hours and time limits to accommodate the diverse parking demands in downtown Davidson. Downtown Davidson, Inc. publishes a pamphlet mapping parking locations and time limits for the downtown area. The pamphlet also highlights the fact that parking abounds in the downtown area, but it may not be located immediately adjacent to a customer or employees destination. The pamphlet also explains that this condition is due to Davidson s emphasis on a safe, comfortable, and convenient pedestrian environment. There is a consistent perception by business owners and some visitors that downtown Davidson does not have enough parking. Although the Town has conducted parking studies in the past, it has been a decade since the last formal parking study. A new parking study could be valuable in identifying locations of parking availability throughout the day, and areas for management improvements. The town should evaluate the option of metered parking to determine if it is appropriate for downtown Davidson, whether now or once the Purple Line begins operations. Additionally, it is likely that a parking structure will be required for the Purple Line at some point; the location and form of that structure should also be contemplated at this time. The Town should consider an update of the parking study given the potential changes in Downtown subsequent to the recommendation of this Comprehensive Planning effort.
VILLAGE INFILL NEIGHBORHOODS Davidson s Village Infill neighborhoods are primarily residential, with a few civic use exceptions. Residential parking is accommodated on private lots and on-street. New development is subject to the town s parking requirements as outlined in Chapter 10 of the Planning Ordinance. Davidson allows on-street parking on both sides of the street whenever possible. Signage is posted where streets are not wide enough to accommodate on-street parking and simultaneously allow for through traffic and/or emergency vehicle movement. Davidson promotes on-street parking as a method of reducing the size of off-street parking facilities, protecting pedestrians on the sidewalks and slowing traffic. Some of the home owners associations in newer neighborhoods do not promote the same parking policies and philosophies as the town. For example, the HOA in the St. Alban s neighborhood discourages on-street parking and asks residents to avoid parking in front of their homes. This is also true in River Run where speeding is a major problem for residents located on the longer streets such as Robert Walker Drive and River Ford Drive. HOAs and new residents in general may need further education about this and other Davidson planning values. Additionally, streets are town owned and therefore their use should not be governed by neighborhood associations. A common complaint heard by residents in newer neighborhoods is that the streets are too narrow. The Town should provide education to residents on the importance, benefits, and technical justification of narrow residential streets. Collaboration with emergency services providers to determine the best balance for residential street width in a holistic sense should also occur as part of the development review process. Current planning efforts such as this Comprehensive Plan can provide a forum for those educational discussions. GRIFFITH STREET AND LAKESHORE PLANNING AREA New commercial development in the Lakeshore Planning Area meets Planning Ordinance requirements and, therefore, accommodates all parking on-site or in specifically designed on-street parking. Griffith Street on-street parking is primarily used adjacent to Roosevelt Wilson Park and adjacent to Sadler Square shopping center. In fact, the Saddler Square area on-street parking has typically been in high demand on weekdays when many commuters occupy these spaces all day and take the 77x Express Bus service
to Charlotte. This daylong parking is now being discouraged by Sadler Square, and the commuters have moved to the on-street parking along this segment of Griffith Street. The Griffith Street corridor carries a significant amount of vehicular traffic accessing I-77 and the Exit 30 development area. Additionally, the role of Beaty/Sloan and Potts Street as an alternative north-south corridor to Main Street has been debated and will merit a further look in the current study of the North of Griffith Street small area. At one time CATS had a contract with Sadler Square that allowed 77x patrons to use excess spaces in the shopping center lot for all day parking. The contract has now expired, which lead to the current condition. In 2005 to 2006, the Town conducted a small area plan for the Beaty/Sloan/Potts corridor. Recommendations from this study included the need to formalize the connection between Potts and Sloan Avenues and to introduce a median section to balance and calm Beaty Street between Griffith Street and NC 115 north of Downtown. The Town is currently conducting an in-house planning study for the North of Griffith Street Neighborhood. The charrette for the study is scheduled for March 9-12, 2009, and the conclusions of the charrette and resulting vision will be included as an amendment to this document. Currently the all-day commuter parking does not create a problem for neighboring businesses, which have sufficient off-street parking supply. In the future commuter parking for bus and rail service will need careful consideration and accommodation. (See transit interface section for further discussion.) Similar to the discussion about the new infill residential neighborhoods, there is an opportunity for the Town to provide education to residents on the importance, benefits, and technical justification of narrow residential streets. Collaboration with emergency services providers to determine the best balance for residential street width in a holistic sense should also occur as part of the development review process. Current planning efforts such as this Comprehensive Plan can provide a forum for those educational discussions. COLLEGE-FRINGE INTERFACE The college accommodates most of its parking on campus; however on-street parking on Concord Road, between Lorimer Road and Thompson Street is largely used by college employees and commuter students on weekdays. On weekends and during the summer when the College is not in session, this segment of Concord Road can seem excessively wide due to the absence of parked vehicles on the street.
Time limits and restrictions on overnight parking have largely addressed previous problems with students using on-street public parking for long-term purposes (avoiding on-campus parking fees). Residents and visitors consume much of the on-street parking for events such as Town Day, Christmas in Davidson, and Concerts on the Green. Shuttles from remote parking are operated during the busiest events. The Town is currently conducting an in-house planning study for the North of Griffith Street Neighborhood to include the area of North Main Street and the entrance to the Davidson College campus at Griffith Street. The charrette for the study is scheduled for March 9-12, 2009, and the conclusions of the charrette and resulting vision will be included as an amendment to this document. It has been several years since a parking study was completed for the Downtown area, so it is not clear if College students or staff are abusing the use of public parking to avoid parking fees for on-campus parking. Town and Gown relationships could be improved, with the arrival of a new President on campus as an opportunity to open the collaborative planning process between the Town and College. TRANSIT INTERFACE (PARK AND RIDE) Transit parking today consists of on-street Griffith Street parking for commuters using the 77x Express bus service to Charlotte. (Further information is provided above in the Griffith Street and Lakeshore Area section.) The town is actively considering options for rail transit parking locations, designs, and funding strategies in anticipation of the commuter rail arrival in Davidson. Many of the parking discussions center on whether Davidson will be the final station on the North Corridor line. Typically final stations serve as major park-and-ride facilities for commuters traveling from outside the corridor to access the rail service. Davidson, however, is committed to being a pedestrian oriented station with very limited park-andride supply. It is unclear whether it will be possible to extend the North Corridor one station further north (to Mt. Mourne) to locate the large park-and-ride facility. Mt. Mourne is in Iredell County, which does not have a half cent sales tax to pay for CATS project construction and services.
Beyond the end of line discussions, Davidson recognizes the increasing need for parking as the downtown grows. A parking deck is the most logical way to accommodate the needs of transit users, new downtown commercial development, and new downtown residential development. Such a structure could be integrated into new development/redevelopment in order to limit potential visual impact. Possible locations include the sunken parking lot parcel north of town hall (accessible off of Jackson Street) and the Sadler Square shopping center parcel. Numerous concept sketches have been prepared over the years presenting potential parking structures for downtown. Davidson s Planning Ordinance includes design regulations with specific expectations about wrapping the structure with commercial and limiting the size of driveways, etc. Davidson has also established a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district in the downtown area that will allow the town to provide incentives for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) projects, including infrastructure. The town has also begun discussions with CATS with regard to jointly funding a parking structure that will partially serve transit riders. Davidson is a progressive community that is already preparing for many of the growth challenges it will face over time. It is realistic about the need for parking, but also committed to maintaining its pedestrian oriented environment. The market demand does not exist today to build a structured parking deck, however Davidson is laying the policy foundation by which it can promote this kind of development in the future. The Town will need to be proactive in the education of residents as to the dynamics that will change in Downtown as a result of the Purple Line implementation. The Town will also need to work in close coordination with CATS as decisions are made as to the terminating point of the Purple Line. GATEWAYS GRIFFITH STREET GATEWAY The implementation of the Griffith Street Corridor Study has enhanced the Griffith Street pedestrian environment and established Griffith Street as a memorable gateway to the town and college. A reconfiguration of the roadway has resulted in a conversion of much of the corridor from four to two travel lanes and speed limit reduced to 25 mph. Two multi-lane roundabouts have been constructed at Jetton Road and Davidson Gateway concurrent with development of parcels on the north and south side of the road, and enhanced sidewalks have allowed this corridor to blossom as a good example of largerscale development balanced with walkability. The Griffith Street Corridor Study (2002) has served as a guide for evaluating future development and provided recommendations for the future street improvements.
Development has taken place around Exit 30, including the Town s first national hotel and supermarket, but the vision set forth in the Exit 30 Master Plan has dictated the urban form and architectural standards of this development so that it is consistent with the Town s character and is not typical of highway commercial development located at other interchanges in the I-77 Corridor. There still exists a perceived gap in connectivity from a pedestrian and bicycle perspective between Main Street and the Exit 30 area. Additionally, residents of lakefront residential areas west of the I-77 interchange have a difficult time crossing as pedestrians and cyclists to access the new development and Main Street; coordination with NCDOT is underway to fashion a link in this location. While the Exit 30 area provides an appealing gateway to the Town, the existing Davidson College entry from Griffith Street is underwhelming. The Town should collaborate with Davidson College to develop a plan for a gateway at the eastern terminus of Griffith Street. The North of Griffith Street Neighborhood Small Area Plan could be a vehicle for that coordination. NC-115 NORTH AND SOUTH GATEWAY There is the potential for the Railway bridge at the south end of the NC-115 corridor to become more of a gateway to the Town. At the northern end of NC-115, there is potential to develop a gateway, transitioning from the rural highway of NC 115 in Iredell County into Main Street. The speed limit currently drops to 25 mph from 35 mph at the railroad bridge on the south end of the corridor and to 25 mph near Beaty Street at the north end. The Beaty/Sloan/Potts Avenue Small Area Plan developed two alternatives for the reconfiguration of the intersection of Beaty Street with NC 115 north of Town. New development on the south end of Main Street provides an attractive entry into the Town, and the Town limits are denoted with the Town of Davidson signs that declare the Town as bicycle and pedestrian friendly. The opportunity exists to create memorable gateways on both the north and south ends of this corridor, with the railroad bridge on the north end and the intersection of Beaty Street on the north end. Collaboration with NCDOT will be a necessity for these gateway proposals. Early coordination, possibly as part of this Comprehensive Planning process, will provide an opportunity for early introduction and dialogue.
DAVIDSON-CONCORD ROAD AND NC-73 GATEWAY The streetscape and urban form with the Town Green, Main Street, and College frame the 100% corner of Main Street and provides a gateway. In the more rural area, the intersection of Rocky River Road and Davidson-Concord Road is considered hazardous with the slip lane and yield configuration; the dominant traffic move is between the southern and western approaches, yet the east-to-west movement is considered the through movement. On the south end of Davidson-Concord Road at the intersection with NC 73, a signal exists but the intersection is extremely rural in configuration and character. Various proposals for the intersection of Main Street and Concord Road have been developed and analyzed through the years, from a roundabout to an extension of the road to Jackson Street. The current configuration does present a gateway for Downtown and the College. At Davidson-Concord Road and Rocky River Road, NCDOT had developed plans to realign Davidson-Concord Road and install a traffic signal. The Town has proposed an alternative design for a rural roundabout at this location, effectively creating a significant gateway opportunity. At Davidson-Concord Road and NC 73, the Davidson-Concord Road/NC 73 Area Plan recommended a village commercial center. Coupled with the potential southern extension of Davidson-Concord Road to Prosperity Church Road, there is an opportunity to provide a gateway experience at this intersection. Funding limitations have slowed further development of the intersections outside of Downtown. There has also not been a consensus on the potential alignment and configuration of Prosperity Church Road to the south, and several development proposals around that intersection are in various stages of design and entitlement. The Town should take a lead on the desired vision for Davidson-Concord Road consistent with the conclusions of the NC 73 Area Plan and use the gateway opportunity at NC 73 to transition from the southern Prosperity Church Road desired character to the character desired by the Town and East Davidson neighborhoods.