The Town of Archer Lodge was among 10 applicants to receive funding in the latest round of grants to assistant with bicycle and pedestrian planning, thanks to the NC Department of Transportation.
Archer Lodge was selected by an awards committee comprised of representatives from regional planning organizations and councils of government, local governments, health professionals and NCDOT staff from multiple units.
The 90-10 matching grant is for $40,000, with $36,000 funded by the NC DOT and $4,000 from the Town.
They will use the funds to develop a bicycle and pedestrian master plan with a goal of improving road bicycling and pedestrian safety, organize and support programs to become a walkable and bicycle friendly community, and develop clear policies and guidelines in zoning and subdivision regulations consistent with a bicycle and pedestrian master plan.
The Town incorporated in 2009 and is seeing a nearly 10 percent annual growth rate. The growth, combined with development in nearby areas, has increased traffic volumes on the Town’s rural two-lane roads to levels that have already exceeded 2040 projections. Since these heavily congested roads lack bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, improvements that provide safe access to key activity centers and subdivision connectivity are needed.
Archer Lodge’s average population is 34.1 years of age, slightly younger than the state average of 38.4, with a high percentage of households with children under age 18. These demographics stress the importance and value of bicycle and pedestrian facilities for exercise, recreation and mobility.
Other towns receiving Bicycle and Pedestrian planning grants include: Beaufort Court, Carrboro, Elkin, Fayetteville, Hudson, Lowell, Pittsboro, Warrenton and Wilson.
Plans funded are not for one specific project, but represent a comprehensive strategy for expanding bicycle and pedestrian opportunities within a given municipality. Now in its fifteenth year, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant program has awarded over $5 million for 193 community plans.
