Forward: American Tobacco Trail in Chatham County, TIP Project E-2921F]

[Bill Bussey]

Hi Friends of the American Tobacco Trail,

I wanted to forward you this American Tobacco Trail in Chatham County 
update from Tom Norman of the North Carolina Department of 
Transportation Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation.

Please contact the contact listed and/or me if you have any questions or 
comments.

In other news, Wake County Parks has begun construction of their final 
phase of the American Tobacco Trail in Wake County. This will construct 
the American Tobacco Trail as a 10-12 foot-wide compacted granite 
screenings surface trail from the current end at White Oak Church Road 
Access northward to the Chatham County line.

This is the section which TRTC volunteers, including many of you, have 
been working to clean and clear during the late spring and early summer. 
Your hard work and support is paying off!

Until further notice, for your safety, please do not access this under 
construction trail by going beyond/around the locked gates at the White 
Oak Church Road ATT Access or from the Green Level Church Road crossing 
because of the heavy equipment and irregular graded surfaces there. 
Construction is expected to take around 90 days, but that could change 
with the weather and other unforeseen conditions.

We'll keep you informed of when this new section of trail is open.

Also, it is not too late to sign the American Tobacco Trail in Durham 
Petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/att2/

We've gotten some press and staff response as a result of the over 900 
who have signed this petition, as well as the 400 who signed it at the 
Festival for the Eno, and 40 at the Guster concert in Cary. Thank you 
for your strong showing of support for the ATT and the many interesting 
and informative comments received.

TRTC also continues to work with Durham staff, the Durham Planning 
Board, and developers, on two subdivision planning requests adjacent to 
the American Tobacco Trail in south Durham. We are working for more 
undisturbed tree and vegetation buffer, as well as better and safer ATT 
access from/to the projects.

Speaking of trail access, the Chancellors Ridge development recently 
completed a beautiful new bridge connection to the American Tobacco 
Trail. This 50+ foot-long, eight foot wide wooden bridge is a wonderful 
connection between the ATT and Chancellor's Ridge that will enhance the 
quality of life for their residents for years to come.

Thanks to John Robinson, President of the Chancellors Ridge Homeowners 
Association and the Board of the Chancellor's Ridge Homeowners 
Association for their tireless efforts in making this wonderful 
connection possible. Check it out about a third mile south of Massey 
Chapel Road.

Don't forget, TRTC continues regular Saturday trail workdays on various 
segments of the ATT. Many of you have participated in these workdays. 
Everything done on the ATT, no matter how minor or major, from picking 
up a stick, log, limb or trash, to clearing/digging drainage ditches, to 
filling in ruts, clipping/pulling out a briar bush, to mowing the trail 
(thanks Cotten Tyler!) helps keep it open for use by area residents and 
folks from all over the US.

Even if you don't make trail workdays, you can help out by picking up a 
stick, log, limb or trash, and tossing it off the trail or into the 
receptacle, while walking or riding the trail. If it needs done, and you 
can do it, then do it!  Or let us know anytime that it needs doing. 
Thank you for all of your great work and support.

For more information on our workdays check out: 
http://triangletrails.org/VOLUNTEERS.HTM . Scroll to the bottom of the 
page for the link 
<http://www.rtpnet.org/mailman/listinfo/trtc-volunteers/> to add or 
remove yourself from the TRTC-volunteers weekly reminder list.

Also, TRTC volunteers will partner with the Carolina Tarwheels to staff 
a refreshment station in northern Orange County during Bikefest 2006 
<http://www.tarwheels.org/bikefest/> on the morning of Saturday, August 
12. If you'd like to help us out and have a great time helping serve 850 
bicycle riders gallons of Gatoraide and snacks, plus get a free t-shirt 
to boot, please contact me (Bill Bussey) 
<mailto:americantobaccotrail at earthlink.net> as as soon as possible.

We always have a great time helping the Tarwheels out in this event. I 
think you will too! Tarwheels members have been very generous to the ATT 
and TRTC in both funding and personnel over the years and we are 
grateful for their contributions.

And don't forget we have a TRTC Meeting this coming Monday, August 7 at 
7:30 p.m. at the Woodcroft Professional Center just behind the ATT at 
the intersection of Fayetteville Road and Woodcroft Parkway in southern 
Durham. All are welcome to attend and learn more about the American 
Tobacco Trail. Note, we will not have a meeting on September 4 due to 
the Labor Day holiday.

Finally, we say goodbye - well sort of goodbye - to Alison Carpenter, 
The Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator for the City of Durham and Durham 
Chapel Hill, Carroboro Metropolitan Planning Organization. Alison is 
going to work for SURGE <http://www.surgenetwork.org/> a statewide 
environmental nonprofit with offices in Chapel Hill. So she will 
fortunately remain in the area, and plans to be involved in ATT and 
bike-pedestrian issues.

We'll miss her greatly for her hard work in many accomplishments in 
moving the American Tobacco Trail forward in Durham and Chatham 
counties, as well as planning for new projects, and increasing the 
acceptance and visibility of bicycle and pedestrian projects and 
planning in Durham and the Triangle. Thanks to Alison, Durham, Chapel 
Hill, Carrboro and Chatham County has made significant progress in 
becoming more friendly and open to non motorized transportation. With 
Alison's great work and strong foundation, we feel confident this 
progress will continue. Thanks Alison!

And* thank you all* again for your support of the American Tobacco 
Trail. Please let us know how we can be of service.

Happy Trails,

Bill Bussey
President
Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
www.triangletrails.org
919 545-9104

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From: "W. Jeffrey Cox P.E." <wjcox at dot.state.nc.us>
Subject: American Tobacco Trail in Chatham County, TIP Project E-2921F
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 12:01:04 -0400
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