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Cycling in NC Pittsboro-Raleigh

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Cycling in NC Pittsboro-Raleigh

Old 09-02-19, 09:57 PM
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Chris0516
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Cycling in NC Pittsboro-Raleigh

I am moving to Fearrington Village in 3wks.. It is between Pittsboro n' Raleigh. I need feedback on the biking infrastructure in Chatham County. So far, what I have found. Really disappoints me.
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Old 09-03-19, 12:25 PM
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Moe Zhoost
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I live in Durham, but ride down into Chatham County a few times a week on the American Tobacco Trail which runs from downtown Durham to a point 4-5 miles east of Pittsboro. The ATT is part of the East Coast Greenway and connects with the impressive trail network throughout Wake County. Fearrington Village is a nice place, and there may be some nice rural roads that are nice riding. Unfortunately, everything seems to require interacting with US 501 (which is no longer the sleepy 2 lane road that it was when I first moved here.) I'm sure you'll find some reasonably good routes once you get to exploring.

I ride MUPs mostly, as well as urban streets. I've gotten away from road riding, but I do know that there are a lot of country roads that are quite nice and do see a lot of cycling activity, especially around Jordan Lake.

There is a heck of a lot of residential housing going up in eastern Chatham County - sprawl from Wake County! This may mean better infrastructure for bikes ... eventually ... but for now, it seems to mean more traffic on the country roads and more shopping centers.
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Old 09-05-19, 04:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Moe Zhoost
I live in Durham, but ride down into Chatham County a few times a week on the American Tobacco Trail which runs from downtown Durham to a point 4-5 miles east of Pittsboro. The ATT is part of the East Coast Greenway and connects with the impressive trail network throughout Wake County. Fearrington Village is a nice place, and there may be some nice rural roads that are nice riding. Unfortunately, everything seems to require interacting with US 501 (which is no longer the sleepy 2 lane road that it was when I first moved here.) I'm sure you'll find some reasonably good routes once you get to exploring.


I ride MUPs mostly, as well as urban streets. I've gotten away from road riding, but I do know that there are a lot of country roads that are quite nice and do see a lot of cycling activity, especially around Jordan Lake.


There is a heck of a lot of residential housing going up in eastern Chatham County - sprawl from Wake County! This may mean better infrastructure for bikes ... eventually ... but for now, it seems to mean more traffic on the country roads and more shopping centers.

I do road riding. But on urban streets, until now. The speed limit on 15/501 is 55mph. Like the German Autobahn, which is 80mph. Also, 15/501 has no traffic lights at four-way intersections. Which makes absolutely no sense. Here in the DC-Metro region. Most urban/suburban roads are 25-45mph and, there are traffic lights, or stop signs. At every four-way intersection.
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Old 09-05-19, 10:20 AM
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Fearrington Village is not really suburban so you can't really expect a lot of bicycling infrastructure, except maybe within the Village itself. It's a really nice, bucolic environment to live in and I'm sure you will like it. Here's a link to routes posted by others who may live down there.

https://www.mapmyride.com/us/fearrington-village-nc/
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Old 09-05-19, 11:34 AM
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That area you have to ride ROAD and not MUP or city streets. Or, drive to the ATT to ride. It's not a place if I were a greenway or city street rider I would have moved.

Lookup Chapel Hill Cycling google group. Closest to you for rides and info.
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Old 09-08-19, 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Moe Zhoost
Fearrington Village is not really suburban so you can't really expect a lot of bicycling infrastructure, except maybe within the Village itself. It's a really nice, bucolic environment to live in and I'm sure you will like it. Here's a link to routes posted by others who may live down there.

https://www.mapmyride.com/us/fearrington-village-nc/
I kind of got that impression. That it lacked biking infrastructure. Thank you for the link. I was really feeling down about the situation. The routes at the link, are a real pick-me-up.
Originally Posted by burnthesheep
That area you have to ride ROAD and not MUP or city streets. Or, drive to the ATT to ride. It's not a place if I were a greenway or city street rider I would have moved.

Lookup Chapel Hill Cycling google group. Closest to you for rides and info.
I moved there for medical reasons. But I am an avid road rider. I don't ride on MUPs for medical(physical) reasons. My biggest problem is the 1.2mi. stretch on 15/501. That I would have to ride. In order to cut over, to 64. I would then take that into Raleigh.

Last edited by Chris0516; 09-08-19 at 10:17 PM.
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