HomeMy WebLinkAboutOUTBoard minutes 102010Approved 11/17/10
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MEETING MINUTES 1 ORANGE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING 2 OCTOBER 20, 2010 3
4 5 MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Cole Baker, Pedestrian Access Safety Advocate; Julian (Randy) Marshall, Bingham 6
Township; Jeff Charles, Bicycle Advocate; Paul Guthrie, Chapel Hill Township; Leo Allison, Cheeks Township; 7
Amy Cole, Transit Advocate; Sam Lasris, Cedar Grove Township; 8 9 MEMBERS ABSENT: Al Terry, Transportation Services Board Representative; Planning Board Liaison-Vacant; Little 10
River Township-Vacant; Economic Development Commission-Vacant; Eno Township Representative-Vacant; CFE 11
Representative-Vacant; Hillsborough Township Representative-Vacant; 12
13 STAFF PRESENT: Karen Lincoln, Transportation Planner; Mila Vega, Transportation/Land Use Planner; Tina Love, 14
Administrative Assistant II 15
16 OTHERS PRESENT: Leta Huntsinger, Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro (DCHC) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) 17
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I. Call to order 19 20
Nancy Baker called the meeting to order. 21 22
II. Consideration of additions to the agenda 23
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Approval of Minutes 25
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The OUTBoard approved the minutes from September 15, 2010 with corrections by affirmation. 27
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III. NC 54 Corridor Study Update 29 30
Leta Huntsinger gave a PowerPoint presentation to the OUTBoard on the NC 54 Corridor Study. Leta advised that 31
draft came out in August and staff has been working on getting feedback from the public meetings. She noted that the 32
catalyst for the study came from a site plan for what is now called Lee Village, which has since gone away but not 33
before alerting the decision makers for the need to study the impact of future development in the area. It is a critical 34
corridor for the region that links southwest Durham and UNC/UNC hospital and provides connectivity to regional 35
travelers. The corridor currently carries about 45,000 vehicles per day. Based on the current adopted land use plans 36
and the long range transportation plan for the area, the current projection shows upwards of 70,000 vehicles per day 37
by the year 2035. The purpose of this comprehensive study is to lay the ground work for how to move forward, both 38
with land use and transportation, while keeping a vision of how the corridor will look like in the future. If this study is 39
adopted as the final report, it will inform the update of the long range plan. 40
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Ms. Huntsinger answered questions and discussed with the OUTBoard members alternative transportation, bicycle, 42
pedestrian, rail, barriers, flex transit, expanded local service, and covered areas. Ms. Huntsinger noted that since this 43
study area sits on the county line and there are multiple jurisdictions, there is a challenge of whose market it is and 44
who provides transit and other services. She continued the study tries to get away from that by determining the 45
funding logistics of the service to be provided. Determining who will operate the service can come later. Ms. 46
Huntsinger, responding to questions, noted in terms of bicyclist, pedestrians, and connectivity, I-40 is a huge barrier. A 47
grade-separated crossing is the best way to cross I-40 for bikes and peds but it will be a huge expense. She noted 48
the study team also looked at an interchange design that was very bike/ped friendly but it wouldn’t hold up to the traffic 49
demand at the interchange. Ms. Huntsinger noted the full report is available on the website (www.nc54-50
i40corridorstudy.com) and each chapter can be downloaded individually. 51
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Jeff Charles noted that in planning for bicyclists the need exist to plan for recreation cycling in addition to commuter 53
cycling to work or school. 54
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Amy Cole asked if the off road paths took into account use for walking to schools. Ms. Huntsinger responded the path 56
along NC 54 has some accessibility coming in and the long-term goal is to provide that connectivity into southwest 57
Durham. 58
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Paul Guthrie asked if the full report looked at destination and initiation points and noted that the single largest 60
destination for the route from southern Orange County was Research Triangle Park (RTP) and that wasn’t factored into 61
the report as far as mass transit. He noted that if shuttle service is offered at the interchange it won’t be attractive 62
unless there is an alternative in both directions to speed up the transportation. 63
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Jeff Charles advised that in the long term he thinks there will be many more motorized scooters that travel at a greater 65
speed that bicycles but cannot travel as fast as cars. They are intermediate between bicycles and cars and there is an 66
intrusion of these scooters into the bicycle lanes and therefore they need to be considered. He noted they are now 67
coming up with semi enclosed scooters to make them weather friendly and it is part of the future. 68
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Nancy Baker asked Ms. Huntsinger if she would like the OUTBoard send her comments and Ms. Huntsinger 70
responded they are accepting comments until December 10, 2010 and they are always helpful. 71
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Randy Marshall noted what happens at each end will have impacts as well. 73
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Sam Lasris asked if there are any costs benefit analysis estimates of mitigation of congestion on short term versus mid 75
term versus long term, what would actually be gained in reduction of traffic congestion. Ms. Huntsinger didn’t think that 76
had been analyzed and documented in the study from the standpoint of deriving those costs. 77
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Ms. Huntsinger noted required parking regulations for development and higher use of the land can occur if the ability to 79
offset some parking rather than having it provided on site, can be provided at a community parking facility. Also, cars 80
destined for UNC, hospital and main campus area, could park at a park and ride lot closer to I-40 and get on transit. 81
That would remove a lot of the auto traffic in the corridor. 82
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Nancy Baker asked about an alternative to getting to and from Southpoint rather than I-40 and suggested a park and 84
ride to serve Southpoint. Ms. Huntsinger noted it is difficult to get travelers off the interstate once travelers are on it (to 85
a destination also on the interstate). 86
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Paul Guthrie noted that the fastest way to reduce traffic on NC 54 is to run a light rail system right down the right-of-88
way of I-40 toward Research Triangle Park, and bring it all the way around to at least 15-501 and put parking facilities 89
in a station so people can be transported in and out by bus. The Board noted by consensus that RTP should be a 90
major consideration. Karen Lincoln noted the original study for rail anticipated using diesel multiple unit technology in 91
the existing rail corridors, which exist from Durham to RTP and Raleigh. 92
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IV. Orange County Advisory Boards and Commissions Input for County Commissioners’ Annual Planning 94 Retreat 95 96
Moved to November OUTBoard meeting. 97 98
V. Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) 99 100
Moved to November OUTBoard meeting. 101
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VI. Draft 2011-2020 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 103 104
Karen Lincoln advised that NCDOT will have some public comment workshops for the draft STIP and it is an 105
opportunity for the OUTBoard to make comments. NCDOT has not yet set the meeting dates and locations. The 106
DCHC MPO is meeting with NCDOT to discuss “one-on-one” its concerns/requests for change to the Draft State TIP 107
before developing the Metropolitan TIP. The OUTBoard will also have an opportunity to comment on the Draft MTIP. 108
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Karen Lincoln advised that next spring/summer the County will submit a priority list (as the first step in the next update 110
of the TIP) and the TIP update process should be a regular two year schedule after adoption of the 2011-2020 TIP. 111
She noted the last couple of TIP cycles have been unusual. She noted the 2011-2020 TIP should be adopted by the 112
Board in July or August 2011. 113
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Paul Guthrie noted, in Orange County according to the list, almost all of the money is going into the interstate system. 115
Karen Lincoln added there has been much regarding removing large “statewide” projects such as interstates from the 116
equity formula as those large projects leave little to no funds for needed local projects. The General Assembly has 117
created a new Mobility Fund funding source. The TAC received a report and a request for comment regarding two 118
mechanisms to rank projects to be funded with Mobility funds. The first method gives criteria to determine projects 119
based on need and the other set of criteria is based on analysis of cost/ benefit. The Metropolitan Planning 120
Organization (MPO) directed staff to work with the TAC Chair and Vice Chair to draft a letter with its comments. (The 121
MPO has provided comments in two previous rounds of input into the process for selecting projects for mobility funds 122
and a lot of those comments have been incorporated.) 123
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Karen Lincoln and the OUTBoard reviewed a handout of the Orange County portion of the Draft STIP for Division 7, 125
showing the funded and proposed projects from NCDOT. Nancy Baker requested that the Board review the list and 126
also visit the website over the next few weeks and then revisit it at the November meeting. 127
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VII. Board Comments/Updates 129
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Karen Lincoln advised CAMPO and DCHC MPO are looking at holding a regional workshop for citizen members of 131
bicycle/pedestrian transportation committees, and are wondering what the interest may be. The two MPOs had one in 132
the past and staff is trying to organize a regional meeting. They are asking for interest and would like to know how 133
many people may attend. Karen noted they are looking at January 14, 28, or February 11, 2011, so she would like the 134
Board to consider which would work best. Jeff Charles and Nancy Baker indicated they would be interested and any of 135
those dates would be fine and morning meetings are preferred to afternoon meetings. 136
Karen Lincoln advised the UDO Open House will be on November 17 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and the OUTBoard 137
is welcome to come. The OUTBoard meeting will be held across the hall that night. 138
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Karen Lincoln invited the OUTBoard members to join her for a Lunch and Learn on Thursday, November 18th 140
sponsored by Triangle Get Ready, which is an electric transportation initiative that involves Duke Energy. Major car 141
manufacturers will begin to release plug in electric vehicles beginning in late 2010 and they feel it is important to inform 142
local areas what is being done in the Triangle to prepare for electric vehicles. The meeting will be at Duke Energy 143
Operation Center at 11:30 a.m. and will end at 1:30 p.m. and they request an RSVP by November 12. Karen will 144
forward the notice to all the members and anyone interested can attend. 145
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Karen Lincoln advised that the Board of County Commissioners did remove Mr. Tillman from the OUTBoard at their 147
last meeting. She advised that the Board of County Commissioners will consider appointing new members on 148
November 4th, and noted the Planning Board and Commission for the Environment had volunteers for consideration by 149
the BOCC. Karen Lincoln asked for recommendation for a Hillsborough Township Representative to the OUTBoard 150
and advised that Dan Barker, who was a member on the Orange Transportation Services Board (prior to it becoming a 151
staff board) and was also on the train station committee, was interested and had applied for the position. The 152
OUTBoard recommended Dan Barker for consideration by the BOCC as the Hillsborough Township Representative to 153
the OUTBoard by consensus. 154 155
VIII. Adjournment 156
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There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. 158
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Nancy Baker, Chair