South Roxboro Restriping - Hope Valley to MLK (2019)

S. Roxboro St. Visualization

Project Coordinator


Leslie Tracey
Email
Phone: 919-560-4366, ext. 36437

Project Description

South Roxboro Street between Hope Valley Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway was resurfaced in 2018 by our Public Works Department. The restriping was completed in 2019.


The Transportation Department planned to reconfigure the lanes south of Juliette Drive once the resurfacing was complete. This project aligned with the City’s Vision Zero program, to make the road safer and more convenient for users of all modes of transportation. The project involved removing a vehicle travel lane between Juliette Drive and Shady Creek Drive in order to add a partially protected bicycle lane, resulting in one vehicle travel lane and one bicycle lane in each direction.

The public was invited to comment on the proposed plans during November 2018. Concerns with the reconfiguration were the following: increased congestion and tailgating; current lack of bicyclists; need for a vertical delineation element between the bike lane and travel lane; increased difficulty turning onto South Roxboro; and the need for a signal at Juliette Drive and South Roxboro Street. Transportation staff reviewed all comments and proceeded with the reconfiguration as planned with the following adjustments: 
  • The City constructed a signal at the intersection of South Roxboro Street and Juliette Drive in conjunction with the repaving and re-striping. Using the proposed lane configuration, a traffic signal study was conducted and met criteria for a traffic signal.
  • The Third Fork Creek Trail crossing will be upgraded in conjunction with this project, made possible with the elimination of a dual-lane threat to pedestrians and bicyclists.
This project reduces speeds and makes traveling along and crossing the road more comfortable for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. Additionally, it fills a gap in the bicycle network that shortens the distance between the Third Fork Creek Trail and the American Tobacco Trail. It allowed the City to install a signal at Juliette and Cook, and make improvements to the Third Fork Trail crossing.

Additional facts about the planned reconfiguration project:

  • The left turn lanes along the corridor remain unchanged.
  • The lanes at the intersection with Hope Valley Road remain unchanged (the southbound bicycle lanes will end before reaching Hope Valley Road).
  • The lane configuration between Carlton Crossing Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway does not change.
  • All work was within the existing street right-of-way, and did not affect adjacent properties.
  • Speed studies conducted in 2013 and 2018 showed the following results for speeds on South Roxboro Street:
    • 2013 – 85th percentile speeds were between 44 and 47 mph
    • 2018 – 85th percentile speeds were between 46 and 49 mph
    • Volumes on South Roxboro Street are about 7,500 vehicles per day (VPD). Two-lane roads with left-turn lanes can comfortably accommodate up to 16,000 VPD without introducing congestion or delay for drivers.
    • A comparable street is Woodcroft Parkway between Hope Valley Road and Fayetteville Street. In this section, Woodcroft is one lane in each direction with left-turn lanes and a median, and it carries about 7,500 VPD. There are no measurable issues with congestion or traffic jams along this corridor.
    • The city has received a number of complaints about vehicles not yielding to pedestrians on South Roxboro Street. As part of this reconfiguration project, the Department plans to upgrade the Third Fork Creek Trail crossing on South Roxboro Street.
    • The City constructed a traffic signal at Juliette Drive in conjunction with the repaving and restriping.
    • In the department’s experience from past projects, reducing the number of lanes on a road usually results in lower speeds.
    • Higher speeds lead to more crashes that result in more severe injuries. The City recently adopted the Vision Zero program in order to address this issue. Vision Zero aims to slow speeds throughout the city to provide a safer transportation environment for all users.