HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda-12-4 - Information Item - Memorandum - NC-54 West Corridor StudyPLANNING & INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT
Craig N. Benedict, AICP, Director
Administration
(919) 245-2575
(919) 644-3002 (FAX)
www.orangecountync.gov
131 W. Margaret Lane
Suite 201
P. O. Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Nishith Trivedi, Transportation Planner
Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director
Tom Altieri, Comprehensive Planning Supervisor
DATE: February 6, 2018
SUBJECT: Information Item – NC-54 West Corridor Study
This memorandum is to inform the Board of County Commissioners of the NC-54 West
Corridor Study. The study is from Old Fayetteville Road in Carrboro to the I-85/I-40
interchange in Graham. The study will include a comprehensive analysis of the corridor and
identify feasible improvements. The consultants selected by North Carolina Department of
Transportation (NCDOT) and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning
Organization (DCHC MPO) for this corridor study are:
• VHB – local engineering and planning firm
• Rose & Associates – market analysis
The study team is made up of NCDOT, DCHC MPO, Burlington-Graham Metropolitan
Planning Organization (BG-MPO), Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO), City
of Graham, Town of Carrboro, and Orange and Alamance Counties.
The project is broken down into four phases and is scheduled for completion in late 2018
• Phase 1 – Existing Conditions and Market & Economic Assessment - Fall 2017
o 1st Round of Public Workshops – January 2017
• Phase 2 – First Community Meeting and Long-Range Forecasts - Early 2018
• Phase 3 – Second Community Meeting and Draft Report – Spring 2018
• Phase 4 – Draft Report – Summer 2018, and Final Report – Fall 2018
o 2nd Round of Public Workshops – May 2017
A website with an interactive map has been created for the project at www.nc54west.com.
The consultants have provided a newsletter describing the study and its planning
process Attachment 1. The initial rounds of public workshops have been scheduled to present
the analysis of existing conditions, and market and economic assessments. A second round
of public workshops, where the plan for the corridor will be presented, will be scheduled in
May 2018 with final completion in Fall 2018.
1
NC 54 West Corridor Study
This study is an in-depth review of the
20+ mile stretch of NC 54 between Old
Fayetteville Road in Carrboro and I-85 in
Graham. Representatives from the Town
of Carrboro, City of Graham, Alamance
and Orange Counties, the Triangle Area
Rural and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Planning Organizations, and NCDOT are
collaborating to study the
NC 54 roadway and the surrounding
communities. This study will:
Clarify the long-term vision for this
corridor
Examine and consider lower cost
near-term improvements for more
immediate benefits to existing
residents, businesses, and the
environment
Identify long-term transportation
investments to preserve and enhance
environmental resources and the
economic vitality of the corridor
and its communities
NEWSLETTER 1 | JANUARY 2018
Corridor Study Status
The study is scheduled for approximately
twelve months, with draft project proposals
expected in the summer of 2018. The
study team has completed traffic counts
(including pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycles,
buses and truck volumes) at critical
intersections along the corridor. Data
on speeds, variations in traffic by time
of day, and vehicle crashes are being
analyzed. Initial findings and a review of
the existing conditions will be available at
the first round of community meetings, see
schedule on reverse.
General Schedule
Phase 1 | Fall 2017
Existing Conditions and
Market & Economic
Assessment
Phase 2 | Early 2018
Round #1 of Community Meetings
and Long-Range Forecasts
Phase 3 | Spring 2018
Round #2 of Community
Meetings and Draft Report
Phase 4 | Fall 2018
Draft Report – Summer 2018,
and Final Report
2
“
Then Your Input is Needed!
A study collectively funded by the City
of Graham, NCDOT Division 7, and the
Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan
Planning Organization is currently under-
way to examine improvements to the NC
54 Corridor, and your feedback is essential.
You are invited to participate in the first
round of community meetings, where you
will have the opportunity to:
Speak with project team
representatives
Learn more about the project and
progress to date
Provide your input on the project
Community Meetings Round #1
Mid Corridor
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
4:30–6:30PM
Rigmor House Event Center
5501 NC Hwy 54, Chapel Hill, NC
West Corridor
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
6:30–8:30PM
Graham Civic Center
503 McGee Street, Graham, NC
East Corridor
Thursday, January 25, 2018
6:30–8:30PM
Carrboro Town Hall
301 W. Main Street, Carrboro, NC
Have you experienced long traffic
backups or had trouble turning in
and out of businesses on NC 54?”
Other Ways to Get Involved
Residents, commuters, and other users of
NC 54 corridor are encouraged to contribute
to the study team’s understanding of the
corridor. Visit www.NC54West.com and
share your thoughts on assets, issues,
opportunities, and quick fixes by locating
these points on the interactive map.
Information and Comments
For more information or to express any
comments about this study, please contact:
Mr. Aaron Cain
Senior Transportation Planner
Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan
Planning Organization
101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC 27701
919.560.4366
Learn more on the project website:
www.NC54West.com
3