Few people in the country who know more about traffic calming
and intersection design than Dan Burden, who has spent the past
25 years developing, promoting and evaluating alternative transportation
and sustainable communities at national, regional, state and
local levels.
In addition, he brings a message about managing growth for people,
not just cars.
Burden, who has been invited to the area by the Smart Roads
Alliance in response to traffic problems on N.C. 107, will give
a public presentation on "Smart Roads" at 7 p.m. Tuesday,
July 29, at the Community Services Center in Sylva.
"Traffic congestion on N.C. 107 has precipitated an effort
by the N.C. Department of Transportation to build a bypass south
of Sylva and Dillsboro," Alliance member Lydia Aydlett
said. "The proposed bypass, no matter what the final decision
regarding its specific route, would have a profound effect on
Jackson County transportation and growth, displacing up to 124
homes and 17 businesses and costing the state approximately
$200 million."
The Smart Roads Alliance formed in September 2002 in anticipation
of the DOT's publication of a feasibility study for a Southern
Loop/Sylva Bypass. Several community forums have been held over
the last year focusing on the DOT road building process, alternatives
for improving traffic flow on N.C. 107 and lessons learned by
other communities in dealing with problems of traffic congestion.
Most recently Smart Roads Alliance held a meeting at the Justice
Center for a standing-room-only crowd to discuss concerns about
the bypass.
In addition to being sponsored by the Smart Roads Alliance,
Burden's presentation is also sponsored by the Tuckaseegee Community
Alliance, a chapter of the Western North Carolina Alliance.
"Dan Burden's workshop on Tuesday night will be highly
visual, and information-rich," Aydlett said. "He will
use slides of local scenes and National Geographic slides to
showcase ways to plan and design better streets."
Burden, a specialist in transportation and land use planning,
research and implementation of pedestrian and bicycle paths,
traffic calming and street improvement, said he hopes to assist
local business, community leaders and citizens find ways to
construct roads for Jackson County people and communities, not
just for cars.
For more information about the meeting, call Lydia Aydlett at
631-3824.
