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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2005-021 Orange County Transportation Priority List for 2007-2013 TIP3 --i.s ~ ar~.S ~L ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS A RESOLUTION CONCERNING ORANGE COUNTY'S PRIORITY TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS FOR THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION REGIONAL PRIORITY LIST FOR THE 2007 - 2013 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHEREAS, the North Carolina Board of Transportation, every two years, prepares a Transportation Improvement Program that identifies transportation projects scheduled for State and Federal funding over the next seven years; and WHEREAS, the North Carolina Board of Transportation, on July 8, 2004, moved the seven year, biennial Program to be effective beginning and ending in odd numbered years; and WHEREAS, the North Carolina Board of Transportation solicits input for identifying transportation projects of local and regional importance to be included in the FY 2007-2013 Transportation Improvement Program; and WHEREAS, Orange County gives priority to identified safety needs on existing roads and bridges, to other transportation projects that encourage alternatives to automobile travel, to projects that minimize adverse impacts on the natural environment and cultural sites, and to those projects that foster economic development in the designated Economic Development Districts; and WHEREAS, Orange County strongly encourages the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to design all highway projects, where appropriate, to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic to provide alternative means of transportation that may result in reduced automobile traffic and related air and water impacts; and WHEREAS, Orange County encourages the NCDOT to design all new or replacement bridges with sufficient clearance to allow wildlife to cross safely under them, and to allow pedestrian passage along any existing or planned trail-system connectors; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of Commissioners that: The Board of County Commissioners endorses the attached project priority list of transportation projects to be considered for inclusion in the FY 2QD~7-2013 Transportation Improvem t Program. Upon motion of Commissioner ;'~ r~seconded b Commissioner "'t-f'-~ , the foregoing resolution was ado ted this the day of ~~,,II ~ 005 ~~M I, Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners for the County of Orange, North Carolina, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true copy of so much of the proceedings of said Board at a meeting held on March 15, 2005, as relates in any way to the adoption of the foregoing and that said proceedings are recorded in the minutes of said Board. fh WITNESS my hand and the seal of said County, this _~ day f " ;-605. ti~~~ ~ p` ~+` -~ ~~~ ;~~1~¢1~;, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners ~~F,~- )vim :~• ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PRIORITY LIST WITHIN THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO METROPOLITAN AREA BOUNDARY FOR CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING IN THE 2007 - 2013 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SR 1006, Orange Grove Road at Interstate 40: Construct a pedestrian bridge over I-40. New Grady Brown Elementary and newly constructed Cedar Ridge High School are located on New Grady Brown School Road that has access from Orange Grove Road south of I-40. The schools are within walking and cycling distance from residential areas north of I-40. Bicyclists and pedestrian must share the roadway with motor vehicles crossing the narrow two-lane bridge that carries Orange Grove Road over Interstate 40. The bridge is too narrow to accommodate a pedestrian walkway. Lack of an adequate pedestrian crossing presents an unsafe environment for students to walk to the schools. 2. U-2805, Homestead Road (SR 1777 Improvements: Improve Homestead Road from SR 1834, High School Road, to NC 86. This project should include bicycle and pedestrian facilities. There are three schools in the vicinity of Homestead Road: Chapel Hill High School, Smith Middle School and Seawell Elementary School. Many students live within walking distance and cycling distance to Chapel Hill High School and must walk or cycle along Homestead Road, and cross the road daily.. Provision of sidewalks is of utmost importance for the safety of students and other pedestrians who use this corridor. Provision of bicycle facilities is, likewise, necessary for the safety of students and others. This project should also include appropriate safety improvements to the intersection of Homestead Road with High School Road. 3. R-2825. Improvements to South Churton Street: Develop congestion management, limited access, aesthetic and capacity improvements between US 70 Business and Interstate 40. The portion between Interstates 40 and 85 will conform to the design criteria of the Economic Development District Design Manual (4-lane divided section with bike and pedestrian improvements). The feasibility study completed in February 2002 recommends a 4-lane divided, with 16-foot median, curb and gutter cross section for the entire corridor from I-40 to Eno River. Orange County stresses the need to study improvements within the current right-of-way for the segment north of Interstate 85. Improved capacity through widening is not the County's first choice because of significant constraints between Interstate 85 and US 70 Business and the proximity of the historic district north of the project limits. Orange County requests that, where conditions do not prevent the addition of frontage roads, the feasibility study include the addition of frontage roads with limited access from the corridor. ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PRIORITY LIST WITHIN THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO METROPOLITAN AREA BOUNDARY FOR CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING IN THE 2007 - 2013 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 4. Old NC 86 (SR 1009) Bicycle Lanes: Construct bicycle lanes (4-foot paved shoulders) from Carrboro (Eubanks ..Road) to Hillsborough (I-40). This project, from the Carrboro Transition area (Hickory Forest Road) to Lafayette Drive, is priority 6 of the primary bicycle routes listed in the Orange County Bicycle Transportation Plan, and would extend bicycle accommodations requested in TIP .Project R-2825 to Carrboro, where its Transportation Advisory Committee has also established bicycle routes on Old NC 86 as a transportation priority connection between proposed bicycle facilities along Old Fayetteville Road, Homestead Road and Eubanks Road. The feasibility study for TIP Project R-2825, improvements to South Churton Street, recommends afour-lane divided section for Old NC 86 (S. Churton St.) from I-40 to Lafayette Drive. That study also anticipates accommodations for bicycles (wide outside lanes) from I-40 to I-85. This project would connect bicycle facilities proposed in the South Churton Street project to Carrboro. Carrboro's Priority List for the 2006-2012 TIP included two bicycle projects on Old NC 86 that, along with this request and TIP project R-2825, would complete aHillsborough-Carrboro bicycle route: from Old Fayetteville Road to Homestead Road; and from Homestead Road to Eubanks Road. 5. NC 86, Bicycle Lanes: Construct bicycle lanes (4-foot paved shoulders) from Chapel Hill (Whitfield Road) to Hillsborough (US 70 Business). This project will extend bicycle lanes on Airport Road (NC86) in Chapel Hill to US 70 Business in Hillsborough. Bicycle lanes have recently been completed along NC 86 from UNC to Whitfield Road (SR 1731) in Orange County. NC 86 from Chapel Hill to Hillsborough is experiencing increasing numbers of bicyclists using this route and there are. also two schools along this route. This route is listed as priority I of the primary bicycle routes proposed in the Orange County Bicycle Transportation Plan adopted April 6, 1999. This project is included in the Bicycle Program as an incidental need. Orange County requests that bicycle lanes be constructed as an independent project, and, if necessary, programmed in phases. ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PRIORITY LIST WITHIN THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO METROPOLITAN AREA BOUNDARY FOR CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING IN THE 2007 - 2013 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 6. NC 86 (North of Hillsborough) Improvements• Widen NC 86, from US 70 Bypass north of Hillsborough to SR 1332, Coleman Loop (Coleman Loop also being the intersection area of the planned connector between NC 86 and NC 57), to four lanes with intersection improvements at US 70 Bypass to include extending the queuing lane for traffic turning east onto US 70 Bypass from northbound Churton Street/NC 86. NC 86 is the major north-south route through Orange County. NC 57 converges into US 86 just north of US 70 Bypass. The segment of NC 86 between NC 57 and US 70 is congested, rendering a high accident location at the intersection of US 70 Bypass at NC 86. 7. US 70 Bypass Widening; Widen, from the Orange/Durham County Line to the US 70 - I-85 Connector east of Efland, US 70 Bypass to a four-lane divided section with bike and pedestrian improvements. This project should be phased to address traffic counts and existing congestion. Orange County requests that this project be identified as a need and included in the 2006- 2012 STIP. 8. U-3436, SR 1148 (Eno Mountain Road) and SR 1192 (Mayo Street) at SR 1006 (Orange Grove Road): realign intersection and make safety improvements. This project is listed in the 2004 - 2010 TIP as an unfunded project. It was a "first priority project" in the Town of Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan for 1989 but the Hillsborough Town Board removed the realignment from the Hillsborough Transportation Plan in 1997. More recently, Hillsborough Commissioners and Orange County Commissioners have endorsed the project in two joint studies that included commissioners from both jurisdictions, the Economic Development District (EDD) Transportation Work Group and the Joint Orange Grove Road Transportation Group (JOGRTG). Both the "EDD Transportation Work Group Recommendations" and the "Access Management and Awareness Project and Report for Orange Grove Road" recommend this project for improved traffic flow and safety. 9. Extend Orange Grove Road east to US 70 business. The "EDD Transportation Work Group Recommendations" and the "Access Management and Awareness Project and Report for Orange Grove Road" recommend this project as an alternative access to the US 70 Business/NC 86 corridor to alleviate congestion on Churton Street.