SECONDARY DATA

Transportation

Closely related to income and employment is transportation. Because 41% of Pittsboro residents commute to work outside of town, transportation, and resulting traffic, are issues worth mentioning. Two U.S. highways intersect at the courthouse circle in Pittsboro. U.S. 15-501 leads north to Chapel Hill and south to Sanford. U.S. Highway 64 travels west to Siler City and east to Raleigh. This structure results in heavy commuter traffic moving through town. Although the traffic circle system in the center of Pittsboro alleviates some of the bottleneck, the road structure also has led a large number of travelers passing through Pittsboro on their way to other destinations. While this has increased tourism, it has also magnified traffic problems. In addition, congestion downtown makes it a dangerous place for teens walking along the streets and sidewalks after school. It is hoped that the construction of the Highway 15-501 by-pass that will be opening this year may ameliorate traffic difficulties in the downtown area. Because the only public transportation system in Pittsboro, Chatham Transit, serves only those with health needs, the main transportation problem for adolescents centers on the inability to get around. This deficiency in public transport for teens and a clear dependence on motor vehicles that contributes significantly to the lack of access to recreation and other activities among adolescents without cars. From our own experience in trying set up adolescent focus groups, we learned how necessary transportation is for teens to participate in activities.

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