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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-06-2007-12ddti STATga ti x ? O `4<c?,k pax` STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT MICHAEL F. EASLEY DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS GOvERNOR August 13, 2007 Mr. Moses Carey, Chairman Orange County Board of Commissioners P. 0. Box 8181 200 South Cameron Street Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear Mr. Carey: LYNDO TIPPETT SECRETARY Mr. Doug Galyon, Chairman, Board of Transportation, has requested that I respond to your letter of July 31, 2007, concerning the improvements to SR 1oo8, Mt. Carmel Church Road, in Orange County. I appreciate your comments, and we will certainly take these into consideration as we develop the improvements of Mt. Carmel Church Road as a part of the 2007-2Oo8 Secondary Road Construction Program. I look forward to working with you, and the other Commissioners, on this project; and other future transportation projects in Orange County. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact this office. Sincerely, J.191. Mills, P.E. ivision Engineer JMM/jm cc: Doug Galyon, Chairman, BOT Chuck Edwards, District Engineer Laura Blackmon, County Manager Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board Paul Thames, County Engineer Craig Benedict, Planning Director Karen Lincoln, Transportation Planner Kathleen Seligson E? D? ?adrE AUG 15 2007 P. O. Box 14996, Greensboro, NC 27415-4996 Telephone No. (336) 334-3192 Fax No. (336) 334-3637 MOSES CAREY,JR., CHAIR ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS SARRYJACOBS, VICECHAIR POST OFFICE BOX 8181 VALERIE P. FOUSHEE AIJCEM. GORDON 200 SOUTH CAMERON STREET MIKE NELSON HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27278 July 31, 2007 Mr. J. Douglas Galyon Division 7 Member North Carolina Board of Transportation Post Office Box 14996 Greensboro, North Carolina 27415-4996 Dear Mr. Galyon: \rt :: Cato AUG - 3 20007 NQ Dept, of Transportation Division of Highways-7th Div. The Orange County Board of County Commissioners heartily approves the initiative of the North Carolina Department of Transportation in reconsidering the use of Secondary Road Construction funding to include improving paved roads, and the Department's recommendations for the 2007-2008 Secondary Road Construction Program that includes proposed improvements to SR 1008, Mr. Carmel Church Road, from US 15-501 to the Chatham County line, for paved shoulders, resurfacing and intersection improvements. Mt. Carmel Church Road is a popular route for bicyclists, and in addition to being a primary priority route in Orange County's Bicycle Transportation Plan, is part of NC Bicycle Route 2 Mountains to Sea Trail. Many have noted safety concerns for bicyclists on Mt. Carmel Church Road. A group of Orange County citizens has asked for our assistance in obtaining improvements to this road. Over the last few years, Mt. Carmel Church Road has become increasingly busy due to development in Chatham County. The citizens are especially concerned about the intersection of Bennett Road with Mt. Carmel Church Road, which access point is at a blind curve on a downslope. The speed limit in the area is 35 miles per hour; citizens complain however, that most vehicles using the road are traveling in excess of 50 miles per hour. Several residents have contacted the Department of Transportation regarding a stop sign at that intersection and there have been three accidents at that intersection in the last three years. As North Carolina Department of Transportation considers an average of five or more accidents a year a warrant for a traffic signal, the Department has not considered a signal at this intersection. Orange County welcomes the improvements to Mr. Carmel Church Road in the NCDOT proposed 2008 Secondary Road Construction Program. Those improvements will do much to make this popular route more safe. However, citizens do not wish to experience a greater frequency of accidents before having a safe access at Bennett Road. WWW. CO.ORANGE. NC. US PROTECTING AND PRESCRVING PEOPLE, RESOURCES, QUALITY OF LIFE ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA - YOU COUNTI (919) 245-2130 • PAX (919) 644-0246 J. Douglas Galyon July 31, 2007 Page 2 The Board wishes to express its appreciation of North Carolina Department of Transportation's cooperation and involvement with Orange County over the past several years, and to ask your help in having the Department revisit improvement needs on Mt. Carmel Church Road to resolve the safety problems. We look forward to working with NCDOT staff in the future to provide a safe and efficient transportation system throughout Orange County. Sincerely, Moses Carey, Chair Board of County Commissioners cc: Orange County Board of Commissioners Mike Mills, Division Engineer Chuck Edwards, District Engineer Laura Blackmon, County Manager Kathleen Seligson Paul Thames, County Engineer Craig Benedict, Planning Director Karen Lincoln, Transportation Planner