haha, i love the after pictures

7/12/2006 4:09:05 PM

what outstanding artist's renderings

they look like someone stuck colorforms on a photo

7/12/2006 6:23:56 PM

Please inform the city that Darryl's has been closed for several years.

7/12/2006 6:24:53 PM

lol and they dont need to elimnate the parked cars.

the before pictures have parked cars, the after pictures dont.

no business is going to rent those storefronts with the existing parking eliminated.

7/12/2006 6:27:29 PM

How about planting some trees in the median instead of a bunch of wimpy shrubs that contribute virually nothing to the streets character? Oh wait, Progress Energy is too busy not burying powerlines in urban areas for us to have a decent tree canopy. Let's spend millions of dollars tearing up and replacing miles of existing pavement (crosswalks, sidewalks, future median areas) and just not bother to fix the overhead maze of powerlines that comes crashing down every time theres an ice storm, hurricane or someone sneezes too hard. Heck, why don't we let Meredith College gate off Hillsborough Street for the block in front of their campus like they do with the public freaking greenway they have the nerve to use to boost their school's appeal? Dang, if we really want to do something exciting, just buy a few hundred Segways for public use and leave them out on the street. That would bring me out there more often.

7/12/2006 10:11:02 PM

Quote :

"Utilities — an inventory of aerial utility lines shows multiple private utility companies operating in the corridor with lines along both sides of, and crossing, Hillsborough Street. The criss crossingweb of utility lines detract from the aesthetic improvement desired for the corridor and the utility poles are a safety concern for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and bus patrons. Block-by-block improvement strategies are recommended, ranging from underground burial to aerial relocation and consolidation. These recommendations are discussed in Section 4.0."

It may happen or it may get dropped due to cost, but it was at least addressed in the study. that's a start.

7/12/2006 10:24:15 PM

I know they just buried the lines from Glenwood to St. Mary's. Its been a while since I've looked at the official plan, but 2 of 3 renderings in this thread show powerlines in the new and improved street.

On an aside, I guess no one else has heard about the Ashe Ave and Cox Ave traffic calming project the city just approved. Look at the spraypainted markings on Ashe if you're curious. I'm not sure when they're supposed to start on it, but the city council approved it at a meeting about 2 weeks ago. I think this will be a nice case study for the folks who are paranoid about traffic calming not working.

About traffic congestion, the volume of daily traffic on Hillsborough Street alongside campus is surprisingly close to that of Western along campus. I'll look up the numbers at work tomorrow when I've got my campus masterplan handy.

7/12/2006 11:06:43 PM

^tell me more about this...ive wondered what those markings were since I live right off Ashe

7/13/2006 7:26:07 AM

^^it's going to be VERY difficult to get all of those lines underground.

Quote :

"an inventory of aerial utility lines shows multiple private utility companies operating in the corridor "

and even if progress energy wanted to bury their lines, they have to worry about the phone and cable lines.

[Edited on July 13, 2006 at 8:41 AM. Reason : .]

7/13/2006 8:39:12 AM

Quote :

"t's going to be VERY difficult to get all of those lines underground."

Quote :

"and even if progress energy wanted to bury their lines, they have to worry about the phone and cable lines. "

Yeah, I know it may not be realistic to expect them to bury all the lines on the whole street anytime soon. But out of curiosity, does anyone know how long it takes for the maintenance savings to pay for the cost of burial? I'm sure costs vary between telecom and electric lines, but I'm just looking for a rough idea. Does it even pay for itself within a reasonable timeframe, or does it depend on the city spending tax dollars for the utilities to consider it?

Another thing I thought about is the city's upgrade from copper wire to fiber optics for traffic signal linkups (I think within the next 5 years). Is it reasonable to attempt to bury power lines and/or telecom while you've already torn up the pavement? Maybe thats a possibility for burying power lines at a few key areas. I figure having them underground at a few major intersections/gateways is better than having them all exposed.

edit:

Quote :

"tell me more about this...ive wondered what those markings were since I live right off Ashe"

All I know is, the pavement markings look like the standard traffic calming measures: intersections bulb-outs (the curb flares out to narrow the street) where the parallel parking areas end; narrowing of the street; improved crosswalks with islands in the middle of the street. Funding for construction was approved by the council June 20. They're spending jsut under $400k for the improvements (which includes traffic calming on 2 other streets in other parts of town).

[Edited on July 13, 2006 at 1:19 PM. Reason : .]

7/13/2006 1:12:20 PM

the general rule of thumb is that if it pays for itself in 3 years, then we put the lines underground on us. Projects such as underground in urban or downtown areas are almost always above that and therefore the cost has to be almost all back on the city.

As far as burying all the different utilities together, that would be hard for 2 different reasons.
1.) Utility companies don't work together very often
2.)Restrictions on how close the cables and wires can be. I work with more overhead, but I think underground power lines have to be 18 inches away from any other utility wire.

[Edited on July 13, 2006 at 2:54 PM. Reason : .]

7/13/2006 2:52:10 PM

7/13/2006 3:23:51 PM

^^Cool, thanks for the info. That was exactly what I wanted to know.

Who do you work for, btw?

[Edited on July 13, 2006 at 9:31 PM. Reason : .]

7/13/2006 9:30:59 PM

no problem, and i've worked the past few summers with duke power

7/14/2006 8:24:51 AM

Quote :

"Oh wait, Progress Energy is too busy not burying powerlines in urban areas for us to have a decent tree canopy. Let's spend millions of dollars tearing up and replacing miles of existing pavement (crosswalks, sidewalks, future median areas) and just not bother to fix the overhead maze of powerlines that comes crashing down every time theres an ice storm, hurricane or someone sneezes too hard."

I've always thought that the powerlines were the worst thing aesthetically (besides the rundown buildings) about Hillsborough St.

And I wish in one of the traffic circles they'd put a water fountain of some sort (like the one at the Murphy Center, but smaller) with a bench around it so people could sit and enjoy it (that is, if traffic really is reduced so it would actually be worth it to cross the street).

7/14/2006 2:03:19 PM

when is the construction going to start?

7/14/2006 2:30:19 PM

^^sounds like Meadowmont Village in Chapel Hill. One of my professors designed their water-feature within a roundabout.

7/15/2006 2:53:22 PM

I just stopped and watched a crane tear down the entire facade of the YMCA on Hillsborough. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

7/15/2006 6:33:07 PM

we were just talking about a project similar to this one at work. If power lines are already in place, and the city wants to put them underground just for the aesthetic reasons, then the cost goes almost completely onto the city. (only because the power company has already honored their obligation to serve the area)

7/17/2006 2:25:16 PM

man powerlines ain't shit

i'd like to see them focus resources on nicer pavement and sidewalks before any of that

7/17/2006 2:38:46 PM

I agree, but if they want to put the power lines underground eventually, woudln't it make more sense to do it before new pavement and sidewalks are put in?

7/17/2006 4:57:04 PM

or, perhaps, WHILE new sidewalks and pavement are put in. that way, everything gets torn up once.

7/17/2006 9:23:24 PM

^Yeah, you tear up the sidewalk, THEN you bury the utilities AFTER THAT you put in new sidewalks/ streets. Thats exactly what people were saying, smarty pants.

7/18/2006 11:08:59 PM

i support this thread

7/19/2006 12:33:17 AM

bttt


http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/509949.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-de2BOHfM5Q

11/13/2006 2:09:44 PM

The Morgan street roundabout is already financed, once that is in they will realize the awesomeness of the plan and approve the rest.

11/13/2006 2:11:47 PM

yeah the underground utilities are the bomb

11/13/2006 2:12:55 PM

If this makes a Hillsborough Halloween street party any easier, then I'm all for it.

11/13/2006 2:13:18 PM

It would definately say "college" instead of "ghetto" when visitors come.

11/13/2006 2:16:55 PM

That cobra head light sounds so tuff.

11/13/2006 2:34:34 PM

"I can't get over how reducing four lanes to two helps reduce congestion," council member Philip Isley said. "I may just be dense."

11/13/2006 2:44:20 PM

Traffic signals can be adjusted by the traffic engineers for longer cycles, timing, etc. to improve traffic flow. Roundabouts have a capacity and a choke point that is physical and can't cheaply be adjusted once built. However, the idea of Roundabout and these changes isn't to make Hillsborough Street a thoroughfare, but to calm the traffic and provide more steady flow along Hillsborough and to and from side streets.

The thoroughfare already exists (Wade Avenue). The decision on Hillsborough Street is should it be a poor thoroughfare, poor local street, and poor pedestrian/social/business atmosphere, or should it be a poor thouroughfare, decent local street, with a good pedestrian/social/business atmosphere.

11/13/2006 2:54:17 PM

One of the topics all the people running for student pres addressed was Hillsborough Street revitalization... at this point I think any change would have to be for the better, and I hope the idea of change is backed up with action.

11/13/2006 2:57:20 PM

What can the sbp do for this? That's like running a mayorial platform based on national politics.

11/13/2006 3:06:17 PM

There were plans laid out based on informing students of current discounts, encouraging more places to do student events, and having more ncsu themed hillsborough events that SG organizes. I don't remember all the different things the candidates talked about. The main candidate on the revitalize hillsborough platform didn't win, but his platform caused the other 2 runners to talk about it some. And when he dropped out he endorsed the guy who did win.

I don’t expect SG to do anything. But if they could organize a petition in support of change, it might raise awareness and/or give government officials one more thing to point to when they say this has public support.

11/13/2006 3:17:45 PM

If SG is organizing all the events, then what the heck is the UAB going to do?

11/13/2006 3:24:06 PM

i like how they pointed out the poor, half-dead existing trees and replacing them we larger new trees

11/13/2006 3:24:44 PM

they need some big trees...some fuckers have been straight up breaking the current little trees up and down the street

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS

11/13/2006 3:28:39 PM

NC State is going to have a greatly improved college set up in 10 years

huge nice stadiums - just as long as they keep them maintained

centennial campus - new golf course, chancellor's house, new businesses, new exit for easy access around the triangle

renovated central campus - almost done there

multi million dollar houses on frat court - this area really needs the improvement

improved hillsborough street - also really needed the improvements

possibly nice new development down the street on the dorothea dix hospital property

improved night life opportunities down town - hopefully with all the new residential areas being built down there


only down sides i see are increasing rent / property prices for students / increased traffic around school, and i'm sure raleigh / ncsu will come with some kind of way to ruin any new events that come about during that time

[Edited on November 13, 2006 at 5:04 PM. Reason : ]

11/13/2006 4:49:15 PM

NC State will not have an improved anything until all the shitty C-Stores that operate in sketch areas AND harrelson hall are torn down.

11/13/2006 5:08:57 PM

there are already plans for harrelson to be torn down

11/13/2006 5:48:39 PM

dont forget the commuter trian

11/13/2006 5:53:24 PM

Anyone have better, different, or more hillsborough street pics?

11/13/2006 5:58:10 PM

Quote :

"commuter trian"

wtf is a trian?

11/13/2006 6:15:51 PM

You can sorta see HB st from there.


The philosophy building, winston hall is on the street as well.

But none of these pics really capture all that is hillsborough street.

11/13/2006 6:19:29 PM

tehre was a stduy dnoe in lodnon enlgand taht shwoed you can swtich conescutvie lettres in the egnlsih lnagugae aruond and sitll be albe to raed tehm.

it dosent effcet litearcy of the wrods one bit as lnog as you keep the frist and lsat lettres in porper poisition

11/13/2006 6:44:36 PM

yes hcnguyen, we all got that email

11/13/2006 7:08:45 PM

brianj320 didnt


why does the time of your post appear blue?

11/13/2006 7:10:59 PM

WHEN THEY GONNA START DIGGIN

11/14/2006 9:47:24 AM

if they ever start doing this life around campus will suck. It will take forever to get up and down hillsborough street.

11/14/2006 9:50:22 AM