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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 01-04-1993 - VIII-E 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Action Agenda Item No itzm g ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 4, 1993 SUBJECT: Bridges Across North Carolina Railroad - Durham East-West Expressway Extension DEPARTMENT County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING YES NO X ATTACHMENT(S) INFORMATION CONTACT Draft Resolution Moses Carey, Jr. 12/18/92 TTA Letter TELEPHONE NUMBER 12/11/92 TTA Memo Hillsborough 732-8181 12/17/92 TTA Resolution Chapel Hill 968-4501 Map of Area Mebane 227-2031 Durham 688-7331 PURPOSE: To consider a request from the Triangle Transit Authority to support its request that the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) redesign bridge plans for the extension of the Durham East-West Expressway. - BACKGROUND: The Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) has asked that Orange County request NCDOT to redesign the bridges planned across the North Carolina Railroad for the extension of the Durham East-West Expressway. Current DOT plans for these bridges would span only one railroad track. The TTA is conducting a study of fixed guideway alternatives in the Triangle, and would like to preserve options for using the North Carolina Railroad corridor for this purpose. TTA feels that NCDOT should redesign the railroad bridge plans to accommodate four sets of tracks for future uses. The attached correspondence from TTA provides additional background on this matter. The draft resolution, patterned after the resolution adopted by the TTA Board of Trustees on December 17, 1992, can be considered should the Board of Commissioners decide to support the TTA request to the Department of Transportation. RECOMMENDATION: As the Board decides. , I 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REDESIGN THE EAST-WEST EXPRESSWAY HIGHWAY BRIDGES ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is extending the Durham East-West Expressway from 15-501 to I-85: and, WHEREAS, the planned Expressway will cross over the North Carolina Railroad near the intersection with I-85; and, WHEREAS, the NCDOT current plans are for the highway bridge to permit only one set of railroad tracks; and, WHEREAS, the highway bridge life span is designed to be fifty years; and, WHEREAS, the North Carolina Railroad believes that they will need two sets of tracks for freight railroad and Amtrak passenger service; and, WHEREAS, the Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority is conducting a study of fixed guideway alternatives in the Triangle area; and, WHEREAS, the North Carolina Railroad corridor from east Wake County to Hillsborough is a possible corridor for a fixed guideway; and, WHEREAS, the construction of the highway bridge as planned will preclude future rail service to Hillsborough and Northern Orange County. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of Commissioners that the North Carolina Department of Transportation is requested to redesign the highway bridges to permit four sets of tracks. Adopted this, the 4th day of January, 1993. )-Y_ 93 DEC 21 TRIANGLE TRANSIT AUTHORITY V I)) December 18, 1992 The Honorable Moses Carey, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners • 344 Warren Way Chapel Hill. NC 27516 Re: Durham East-West Expressway Extension Bridges across the North Carolina Railroad Dear Chairperson Carey: At a regular meeting of the Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees, held on Thursday, December 17, 1992, the Board approved the attached resolution requesting that Durham East-West Expressway Extension bridges, crossing the North Carolina Railroad tracks, be redesigned to accommodate four (4) sets of railroad tracks. The roadway project will extend the Durham East-West Expressway from 1'5-5o1 to I-85. You are encouraged to join the Triangle Transit Authority in calling for this change in the design for this project. The primary issue to be addressed by this design change is to assure that the bridge design does not rule out future use of the existing corridor for both freight and passenger rail service. In particular, while corridors for future passenger rail service have not been studied yet, restricting the length of the bridges will preclude the extension of passenger rail service to Hillsborough and northern Orange County. If the corridor is to be used for future passenger rail service, more than one set of tracks as currently designed will need to be accommodated. In the opinion of the Triangle Transit Authority and the North Carolina Railroad future use of the corridor will require four sets of tracks. Currently, the North Carolina Railroad operates freight service on one set of tracks. Future freight and Amtrak use of the corridor will require two sets of tracks. Use of the corridor for future passenger rail service to Hillsborough and northern Orange County would require an additional two sets of tracks. In view of this possible need for four sets of tracks, it seems prudent to design bridge structures to accommodate them. It is our understanding that construction documents are complete on this project and that the Department of Transportation intends to solicit bids and proceed with the work in early 1993. The Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees therefore requests that Orange County adopt a resolution requesting redesign of the bridges for this project as soon as possible. Please contact me if you need additional information. Sincerely, • James M. Ritchey, Jr.r. • General Manager Copy: 4ohn Link, Orange County Manager Enclosure: Resolution, Memorandum from the Planning Committee & Plan Suite 206,50 Park Offices P.O.Box 13787,Research Triangle Park,NC 27709 (919)549-9999 TRIANGLE TRANSIT AUTHORITY Memorandum Date: December 11, 1992 To: Board of Trustees Triangle Transit Authority From: Planning Committee Subject: Report from the Planning Committee Concerning the Durham Freeway (East- West Expressway) Extension Bridge Across the N.C. Railroad On December 10, 1992, the Planning Committee received a report from Bob Grabarek and Neat Salmon of the North Carolina Department of Transportation concerning the highway bridges planned for the extension of the Durham East-West Expressway across the North Carolina Railroad. • The road project will complete the Durham East-West Expressway from its current terminus at 15-501 to I-85. The freeway will cross over the North Carolina Railroad just east of the intersection with I-85. The NCDOT staff has designed the bridge over the railroad for one set of tracks only. The NCDOT reported that any change from the current bridge design will delay the project by at least one year. With the attorney for the North Carolina Railroad, the General Manager encouraged NCDOT staff to consider constructing the bridge for four sets of tracks. Such a configuration would allow two tracks for heavy rail and two tracks for light rail. The NCDOT Public Transportation and Rail Division staff has recommended that two tracks would adequate, but the project is currently proceeding without any change in the design. NCDOT staff estimates that an extension in the bridge for two tracks will cost an additional $157,100, and an extension in the bridge for four tracks will cost an additional $659,600. The Planning Committee discussed the issue and requested that the Board as a whole hear the. report before making a recommendation concerning bridge design to the NCDOT. Suite 206,50 Park Offices P.O.Box 13787,Research Triangle Park,NC 27709 (919)549-9999 RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REDESIGN THE EAST-WEST EXPRESSWAY HIGHWAY BRIDGES ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is extending the Durham East-West Expressway from 15-501 to I-85; and, WHEREAS, the planned Expressway will cross over the North Carolina Railroad near the intersection with I-85; and, WHEREAS, the NCDOT current plans are for the highway bridge to permit only one set of railroad tracks; and, WHEREAS, the highway bridge life span is designed to be fifty years; and, WHEREAS, the North Carolina Railroad believes that they will need two sets of tracks for freight railroad and Amtrak passenger service; and, WHEREAS, the Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority is conducting a study of fixed guideway alternatives in the Triangle area; and, WHEREAS, the North Carolina Railroad corridor from east Wake County to Hillsborough is a possible corridor for a fixed guideway; and, WHEREAS, the construction of the highway bridge as planned will preclude future rail service to Hillsborough and northern Orange County. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority Board of Trustees that: 1. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is requested to redesign the highway bridges to permit four (4) sets of tracks. 2. The General Manager shall communicate this request to the North Carolina Department of Transportation,the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee, and the North Carolina Railroad. 3. The General Manager shall continue to work with the North Carolina Railroad to preserve the full North Carolina Railroad right-of-way throughout the Triangle area. Passed and adopted December 17, 1992 II, o w �iJ Q40°1-> z �L3 w j z '` ." y J co m u ® i. 1 Y 6 y Cl. R = �\ C a o LL m O 1• J . 3 k' -0 > a -) p{I1 . • c o 3 c c o < `o ° c N 3 o r O N r • p C J G ,p a' 0 n C O p -� n• 4 H c y 'O V Ct I' f >, i- ii a J :