Morgan Creek Greenway - Phase 1

Morgan Creek Greenway Phase 1 - 100% Plans

This is the first phase of a greenway system that will ultimately connect Smith Level Road to University Lake with a potential spur to Carrboro High School.

Phase 1 begins at the Smith Level Road bridge and extends west along the north side of Morgan Creek, with a spur to Abbey Road, and then crosses the creek via a pedestrian bridge to a terminus point near an existing informal pedestrian network in the woods, for a total of approximately 1850 linear feet.

STATUS 

Design work to prepare Phase 1 of the greenway to be readvertised for bid has been completed.

  • The project was advertised for construction on November 23, 2025.
  • The bid opening was held on December 18, 2025; four firms submitted bids.
  • The Town advertised an RFQ for construction, engineering and inspection (CEI) services on December 7, 2025. Four responses were received on the due date, January 2, 2026.

Staff is preparing an agenda item for the Town Council’s January 20, 2026, meeting to authorize the Town Manager to award the contract for construction and select and execute a contract for CEI services. The Town will then seek the necessary approvals from NCDOT (concurrence of award of contract and review/audit of CEI scope/man-day hours).

The municipal agreement with NCDOT has been amended.

Staff has initiated a budget transfer to allocate additional Orange County transit tax revenue funds to the project to ensure that work can get underway as soon as possible. 

Next Step(s) with anticipated schedule:

  • Submit request for concurrence of the contractor to NCDOT.
  • Submit scope and man-day hours to NCDOT for the CEI service audit.

Schedule a pre-construction meeting and receive a project schedule prior from the contractor.

NETWORK 

The spur to Abbey Road provides direct access to one of the three signalized pedestrian crossings across NC 54 West (anticipated to be constructed in the spring of 2025) which will connect via informal paths through the Royal Park Apartments toward Barnes Street to Jones Ferry Road and/or through to South Greensboro Street via Whispering Hills.

The greenway will also connect via an underpass under Smith Level Road to the Morgan Creek Greenway in Chapel Hill which extends east parallel to NC 54. Chapel Hill is in the process of getting a consultant under contract to resume design work on Morgan Creek West.

  • The Morgan Creek Greenway is identified in the 2020 Carrboro Bike Plan Update.
  • The project is identified in Carrboro Connects.

Related Projects/Plans:

  • The signalized pedestrian crossings along NC 54 (BL-0044).

Phase 2 of the Morgan Creek Greenway was submitted for P7.0. It scored well but was not programmed for funding in the draft FY2026-2035 STIP. The Town has resubmitted for P8.0.

RESOURCES