Stephen’s Woods

Proposed shopping center at N. Roxboro and Infinity: It’s about TRAFFIC

West Pointe Village is a 300,000 square foot shopping center proposed for the northeast corner of North Roxboro and Infinity Roads.  A smaller, less attractive shopping center was approved for the site in 1999, but was never built.  This was due to the high cost of the intersection improvements included with the plans.  The current proposal offers more shopping options than the old plan, but with sharply reduced road improvements. 
The developer has a well-crafted and highly focused marketing message. He highlights two talking points whenever the shopping center is discussed:

1. North Durham has been starved for retail options for too long
2. $2 million in improvements to the intersection are part of their plan.

Item 1 is true.  However, Item 2 leaves out one critical fact:  The improvements they propose are feeder lanes to guide traffic into the shopping center from westbound Infinity and from northbound North Roxboro just beyond Infinity.  No new turn lanes are proposed for North Roxboro Road.
I believe the intersection is overloaded right now.  Adding a large shopping center without improving the traffic flow through the intersection is a mistake.  I ask you to join me in a lobbying effort directed at the City Government to fix the intersection. 
To be successful, our message must be as well crafted and focused as the developer’s:  “It’s the TRAFFIC”.
The vote on West Pointe Village is scheduled for the October 15^th City Council meeting.   This will be the final opportunity for the public to speak about the shopping center.
What can we do?
1. Contact the City Council members, express your concerns.  To send a general email to all Council members,
mailto:council@ci.durham.nc.us
My advice is to keep emails short and simple:  Remember that it’s about the TRAFFIC.  Here’s a couple of talking points:

• Describe how northbound traffic grinds to a halt before the Kroger shopping center on your afternoon drive home, or how southbound traffic backs up to Milton Avenue in the mornings.
• Ask for the City Council’s help to alleviate the pressure at the intersection now.
• How could the shopping center be successful if first-time shoppers get stuck in traffic jams and decide it’s not worth the hassle to come back?

2. Discuss this issue with your friends who live in River Forest, Eno Trace, Vantage point or Latta Woods.  There’s strength in numbers.
3. Stay informed.  Visit this webpage for updates.

Resources:

West Pointe Village rezoning application (official document describing the shopping center used in the 14 August 2007 Planning Commission hearing) http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/planning/zoning_committee/items/A07_06.pdf
Discussion about West Pointe Village on a Durham blog 26 August 2007 http://www.bullcityrising.com/2007/08/infinity-roxbor.html
Meeting minutes, Durham City Council 20 September 2004  (scroll to page 16 to read about how a group of concerned neighbors defeated a housing development called “Infinity Heights” ) http://www.durhamnc.gov/agendas/minutes/cc_minutes_09_20_04.pdf
NCDOT Traffic Survey Maps (by year and county) These maps are a little cumbersome to use, but this is the official source for traffic data. http://www.ncdot.org/it/gis/DataDistribution/TrafficSurveyMaps/ 
Author contact info: 
David Wiehle dwiehle@mindspring.com