HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-04-2023; 12-5 - Information Item - Memorandum - US 70 Multimodal Corridor Study 1
E ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT
ORANGE
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT 0
COUNTY
,,�,
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)
FROM: Nishith Trivedi, Transportation Director
DATE: April 4, 2023
SUBJECT: US 70 Multimodal Corridor Study
The following memo summarizes the US 70 Multimodal Corridor Study currently in
process by VHB, including the first round of public workshop.
In 2019, Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved US 70 as a County Priority
for possible consideration in the state's Strategic Prioritization of Transportation (SPOT)
process. It was done so with the understanding the corridor posed significant safety and
mobility issues for all uses. The Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) in Durham-
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) identified this
corridor for potential widening with multimodal accommodations. The CTP in Burlington-
Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization as a corridor needing multimodal
improvements. Both CTP were amended in 2022 incorporating the state's new Complete
Street Policy.
Following County's approval as a priority and coordinating with in the CTP amendments,
Orange County started working with VHB to analyze the corridor in partnership with local
jurisdictions and regional agencies. DCHC MPO provided the funding while Orange
County managed the project. A Core Technical Team (CTT) was created composed of
Hillsborough, Mebane, Orange County, North Carolina Department of Transportation
(NCDOT), DCHC MPO and BG MPO staff with the state's Integrated Mobility Division
(IMD) and Rail Road Division invited as critical stakeholders. The CTT meets monthly
with VHB.
VHB recently concluded the first round of public workshops, continue encouraging input
throughout the planning process and will present their findings to all the respective boards
along the corridor, at the end of the year. OCTS staff presents the summary of Draft
Existing Conditions Report, outcomes from the public workshops, next steps and
welcome any comments the Board and general public may offer. The following are
highlights from the Existing Conditions Report and first round of public workshops:
Existing Conditions highlights:
• Focus on Safety, multi-modal (access & connectivity), environmental and economic.
• 19 miles major arterial and 3 miles other arterial (US 70 Business), NC 119 to NC 751.
• Six segments (A-F), 120' NCDOT ROW, 2-lane undivided with 4' paved shoulder.
• 3 fixed transit routes, micro transit and demand response area for 2 transit agencies.
• No bicycle facilities, limited pedestrian, Safety#1 issue for all users, including animals.
0 Website (link), 3 public workshops for 1St round, 2nd round tentatively June/July.
2
• Vehicular traffic volumes back to pre-covid levels.
o Low - 4,800 Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) between Efland Cedar Grove
Road and 1-85 Connector.
o High - 9,500 to 15,500 AADT throughout, greatest concentration near 1-85 at
Pleasant Green Road.
• Truck traffic accounts from 3 to 8% of total vehicular traffic with greatest concentration
east of Buckhorn Road.
o 2 to 4% of total truck traffic is heavy vehicles (e.g. freight, amazon, others).
• Crash data indicates key areas (segments and intersections) experiencing heavy
crashes, mainly from 1-85 connector east to NC 751.
o Primary factors contributing to high crashes is speed, volume is pre-covid but
increased speed is post-covid.
• Level of Service (LOS) deterioration is mainly due to long queuing problems, not
volume, primarily east of NC 86 (S. Churton Street) to Pleasant Green Road.
o Pleasant Green Road and Lawrence Road intersections LOS D.
o Road segment between Palmer Grove Church Road and Pleasant Green LOS F.
• Future Grown (2020 to 2050) concentrated in rural Economic Development Areas, not
urbanized town areas.
• If 10% of traffic from 1-85 detours onto US 70 for any reason (accident or congestion),
US 70 becomes more problematic, unsafe and equally congested.
Next Step:
• VHB will publish Existing Conditions report for more public comments, compile all
comments and incorporate them into the plan.
• Evaluate each intersection and segment using multiple alternatives and present all
options during second round of public workshops.
• 2nd public workshops will also focus on implementation strategies, costs, and
schedule through short, mid and long term projects.
• Draft the plan and present it to local governing bodies for their consideration.
o Hillsborough and Mebane will take action on their town limit portion, not ETJ or
MPO portion, while supporting others.
o Orange County will take action with information collected from local
jurisdictions.
o VHB and OCTS staff will present to DCHC and BG MPO following local action.
Please forward any questions, comments or concerns to Orange County Transportation
Director Nishith Trivedi at ntrivedi(a_orangecountync.gov.