Our Town: Trails Closed, Weekend Heatwave, Ride a Trolley for Art

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July 24, 2025

Hello, neighbors! In this issue, you can get updates about our ongoing Chantal recovery – and how to prepare for a weekend heat wave. You can also plan your Uproar trolley ride through downtown, get details about the skatepark renovations that are starting soon, and catch a glimpse of our newest Art + Transit bus.

Chantal Recovery Continues

Please Stay Off Damaged, Dangerous Trails

Three trails are closed because of significant flood damage:

• Bolin Creek Trail closed between Umstead Dr. and the Community Center
• Morgan Creek Trail closed between S. Columbia St. and Merritt’s Pasture
• Fordham Side path is closed between S. Estes Dr. and Cleland Dr

These parts of the trails are very dangerous – and conditions could become even more dangerous in the coming weeks and months. For everyone’s safety, please stay off these portions of the trails.

Bolin Creek Trail Users, Consider Using Chapel Hill Transit

We recognize that these trail closures are a major disruption and inconvenience, especially for many of you who use them to bike and walk across town.

While the Bolin Creek Trail is closed near Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., consider using Chapel Hill Transit’s CL, D, or F lines. Each provides bike-on-bus service between downtown and E. Franklin Street at Estes Drive, near the Community Center.

Community Giving Fund

The Tropical Storm Chantal Community Giving Fund is dedicated to supporting local recovery efforts across Orange County and the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough. This fund is a collaborative effort between the county and the towns to ensure donated funds are prioritized for critical needs and equitably distributed across the county. 

Public Housing Communities

Our Affordable Housing and Community Connections team continues to regularly check on families who are temporarily displaced from Public Housing due to storm damage. We know this is a difficult time for everyone. We’re working on repairs to their units, and our goal is to get them back into their homes as quickly and safely as possible.

Other Parks and Recreation Amenities Affected by Flood

• Umstead and Community Center playgrounds are open. 
• Sand volleyball courts on Umstead still closed.
• Strowd Rose Garden is still closed.

Town Attorney Shares Plans to Leave Role

After five years with the Town of Chapel Hill, Town Attorney Ann Anderson has decided to return to private practice.

In her announcement to the Town Council last month, she said “it has been an honor to work with the Town through the pandemic to the present,” and noted that “the staff of this organization are as dedicated a group of public servants as any town could hope for. It has been my privilege to help them, and they most certainly have helped me.”

Anderson will continue her role with the Town until early October and remains the main point of contact for Town legal matters until then.

Dangerous Heat Wave this Weekend

A dangerous heat wave with record highs and limited overnight heat relief is in our forecast starting Saturday. The heat index will be over 100 degrees, so stay in a cool place and check on neighbors or loved ones who might not have a cooling system. 

Take the Trolley to Uproar Art Festival

Hop on and off a trolley on Saturdays this August to experience sixty bold, high-impact, outdoor works of art in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and on UNC's campus. Check out this free and family-friendly event:

• August 2, 12 - 8 p.m.
• August 9, 12 - 8 p.m.
• August 16, 12 - 8 p.m.

Park at the East Rosemary Parking deck at 125 East Rosemary Street and grab the trolley there!

Skatepark Closing August 4 for Renovations

We're gearing up to bring you a skateboarding paradise. We've got reinforced concrete ramps coming for a smoother ride, a brand new bowl, and more! While work is happening, you can still shred at other nearby parks.

New Art + Transit Project in Town

On August 1, 2024, Chapel Hill Transit turned 50! Our latest bus wrap commemorates Transit's impact on the community. Artist Zachary Bender hopes this piece will "honor the past and celebrate the future."

Mail Safety Tips

The Chapel Hill Police Department is supporting the USPS in investigating some recent mail thefts involving checks. They want you to keep these tips in mind:

• When possible, pay your bills on-line using a secure payment system such as on-line bill pay or bank transfers.
• If you have to write and mail a paper check, here's how you can make it more secure:
  1. Write “For Deposit Only” on the check in the endorsement area.
  2. Use a security pen with non-washable ink.
  3. Use an opaque security envelope.
  4. Use extra tape to seal the envelope.
  5. Don't write anything on the envelope showing it contains a payment.
  6. Think about sending the check as either certified mail or priority mail, which have tracking features and may require signatures; especially large amounts of money.
  7. Check and confirm that the recipient has received your payment.
  8. If a check is lost or stolen, notify your bank immediately and include the check number, payee name, amount, and date issued.
  9. File a police report.

NCDOT Wants Your Feedback

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) wants you to provide input on what transportion projects you'd like to see included in their next 10-year transportation plan for 2028-2037. Help prioritize the projects that matter most to you and our community.

New for Week of July 27

Raleigh St. at E. Cameron Ave. walkway and arbor renovation work
July 28 - August 1, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Flaggers will maintain traffic, and the signal will be on flash mode.

Ephesus Church Rd. from Fordham Blvd. to Legion Rd. road work
July 28 - August 1, 24 hrs
This segment of the road will be closed for restoration, milling & overlay, and thermoplastic pavement markings. Follow posted detours.

Cleland Dr. AT&T cell tower work
July 28 - 30, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
A portion of the road will be closed. Follow posted detour signs.

Verizon fiber installation: Umstead Dr. to Bradley Rd., Bradley Rd. to Reade Rd., Reade Rd. to Wesley Dr./Ct.
July 30 - August 29, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Flaggers will maintain traffic.

Ongoing

Sidewalk on S. Elliott Rd. at Fordham Blvd.
Due to the current condition of the railing in this area, the sidewalk is closed.

Sidewalk on E. Franklin St. near Eastgate Crossing
Due to the current condition of the railing in this area, the sidewalk is closed.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd between Longview St. and Umstead Dr. fiber installation
July 21 - August 8, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The southbound lane and sidewalk will be closed. Follow posted detour.

122 E. Franklin Street waterline work
July 23 - 26, 24/7
Sidewalk will be closed for the duration. Follow posted detour.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Critz Dr. crosswalk and sidewalk project
July 14 - Aug. 29, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Lane and sidewalk closures in both directions. This project will add a sidewalk to the east side of the road and a crosswalk with a pedestrian island.

207-209 Meadowmont Lane sidewalk and bike lane closure
Present to March 2026
Drivers should remain alert to bicyclists merging into the main travel lane.

S. Columbia St. Carrington Hall work
Present to December 2026
A pedestrian detour is in place along S. Columbia St. near Medical Dr. as crews work on Carrington Hall.

TBD

Pope Rd. near Ephesus Church Rd. NCDOT culvert repair
Dates to be determined. For more information, email Jcmanuel-nelson@ncdot.gov

All road work depends on the weather. Schedules may change accordingly. Google Maps and Waze show the most up-to-date traffic conditions.