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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 11-07-2024; 6-b - Safe Routes to School Plan 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 7, 2024 Action Agenda Item No. 6-b SUBJECT: Safe Routes to School Plan DEPARTMENT: Orange County Transportation Services (OCTS) ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Safe Routes to School Nishith Trivedi, Transportation Director, 919-245-2007 PURPOSE: To approve the Orange County Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan. BACKGROUND: The 2014 Orange County Safe Routes to School Action Plan was updated with public involvement, field investigation and extensive analysis. Detail information on the federal Safe Routes to School program can be found on the Federal Highway Administration website here (link). This update includes and is not limited to: • Planning level analysis of existing transportation around schools • All Orange County public schools • Youth involvement in the planning process • Implementation — Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG), Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and others WSP as the consultant conducted the Existing Conditions Analysis, Draft Recommendation and finalized the Plan (Attachment 1). The Existing Conditions Analysis involved a comprehensive field study of each Orange County public school, focusing on a 2-mile radius around the school property. Orange County Transportation Services hosted a virtual public meeting with all the school principals and administration in accordance with the approved Scope of Work, Chapter 3 in the attached Plan. Public Involvement: • March 7, 2024 — OCTS, WSP, and Orange County Schools - Stakeholder Meeting • July 8, 2024 — Public Engagement event with Orange County Schools • July 9 to August 9 — Existing Conditions Report with Recommendations out for public review Some of the key highlights of the Plan include: • Students walking and cycling to school include — Orange Middle and High School, Hillsborough Elementary, Efland Cheeks Global Elementary, Gravely Hill Middle, River Park Elementary, Pathways Elementary, and Cedar Ridge High School • Recommendations include: • Crosswalks at intersections and mid-block crosswalks near schools 2 • Reduced speed zones and other traffic calming measures • Extending sidewalks to rural areas and filling in gaps in urban areas • Multi-use Paths and Greenways along major corridors and some secondary roads The County's Transportation Advisory Service (TAS) and Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) recommended the SRTS be approved by the Board of County Commissioners. TAS Action: September 26, 2024 — Unanimous approval OUTBoard Action: September 30, 2024 — Unanimous approval with: • Narrative emphasizing each school to pursue Municipal and School Transportation Assistance (MSTA) with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to address car line and its impact on State roads. • Add lineal feet or miles - to each sidewalk, bike lane, and/or side path • Increase priority for - No parking on state/town roads near schools, speed limit reduction and bike/ped recommendations. The final 2024 Orange County Safe Routes to School Plan (Attachment 1) was updated with OUTBoard action. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact at this time. Projects identified in the SRTS are pursued through variety of financial resources including but not limited to: U.S. Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transportation, Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations resources and the 2022 County Transit Plan Update. ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports: • GOAL 4: MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVE 2. Increase community awareness of all modes of transportation including transit, bike and pedestrian, vehicle, and all other modes. OBJECTIVE 3. Support road projects that address congestion and reduce commute time using the County' s Complete Streets policy. OBJECTIVE 4. Coordinate transit investments with municipal and county land use planning to reduce vehicle miles travelled and to provide more equitable access to shopping, employment, medical centers, college campuses, etc. OBJECTIVE 5. Invest in implementing the County' s Safe Routes to Schools plan. OBJECTIVE 6. Update transportation related plans to provide more multi- modal options including rural Orange County. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends Board approve Orange County SRTS Plan. It N O N W ORANGE • m O. CAROLINA W O Z see 4w =" � III i � • DA Safe outes to School U ate r ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA 4 1.Introduction...............................................................................3 Table of Background...............................................................................................................3 2.Existing Conditions.................................................................4 ContentsIntroduction..............................................................................................................4 Overview......................................................................................................................5 1 -AL Stanback Middle School......................................................................6 2 - New Hope Elementary.............................................................................10 3 - Cedar Ridge High School........................................................................16 4- Grady A Brown Elementary School..................................................21 5 - Central Elementary School...................................................................27 6- Hillsborough Elementary School......................................................32 7 - Orange Middle School ............................................................................38 • a.< 8 - Orange High School ............................................... 9 - Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School..................................50 10 - Gravelly Hill Middle School...................................................................SS 11 - Partnership Academy High School................................................60 � = r �JJ 12 - River Park Elementary School...........................................................65 S`H O O I 1. 13 - Pathways Elementary School.............................................................71 ILL 3.Public Involvement Summary 77 4.Project Recommendations.................................................78 1 -AL Stanback Middle School...................................................................80 2 - New Hope Elementary School...........................................................82 3 - Cedar Ridge High School.......................................................................85 4- Grady A Brown Elementary School................................................88 5- Central Elementary School...................................................................90 6- Hillsborough Elementary School.....................................................93 7 - Orange Middle School.............................................................................96 8 - Orange High School.................................................................................101 9 - Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School................................103 - 10 - Gravelly Hill Middle School................................................................106 ~ 11 - Partnership Academy High School..............................................108 12 - River Park Elementary School..........................................................110 13 - Pathways Elementary School...........................................................113 S.Program Recommendations.............................................115 6.Funding....................................................................................117 7.Implementation....................................................................118 S.Resources...............................................................................120 9.Appendix.................................................................................121 Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 2 5 1. Introduction Background The North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) Integrated Mobility Division (IMD) has a long history of promoting active travel to and around schools.The IMD continues to work with numerous communities across the state to develop pedestrian and bicycle plans.This is the first step in improving non-motorized transportation infrastructure within a municipality. IMD provides a number of other services, including safety education, bicycle use training, crossing guard training, and helmet promotions throughout the state. NCDOT first identified safe routes to school as a safety priority in 2000.The North Carolina Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program was established in 2005 to coordinate with the federal program.The program works with schools, local governments and agencies, advocacy and non-profit organizations, and public health professionals at a grassroots level to identify improvements that can help make bicycling and walking to and from school a safe and healthy transportation alternative. The Orange County Safe Routes to School Update analyzes the existing traffic conditions, pedestrian infrastructure, strengths, and deficiencies of 13 public schools in Orange County.The plan then recommends project and program recommendations to address the deficiencies at each school that are preventing active transportation.This report addresses 13 schools in Orange County: ♦ AL Stanback Middle, ♦ New Hope Elementary, ♦ Cedar Ridge High, ♦ Grady Brown Elementary, ♦ Central Elementary, ♦ Hillsborough Elementary, ♦ Orange Middle, ♦ Orange High, ♦ Efland Cheeks Global Elementary, ♦ Gravelly Hill Middle, ♦ River Park Elementary, ♦ Partnership Academy, and ♦ Pathways Elementary. The Orange County Safe Routes to School Update acts as a resource to further engage schools and identify how travel to and from schools can be made safer, and how to provide safe opportunities for the students to walk or bike to school.There are a multitude of reasons for the lack of active travel to school.A few of these reasons include valid concerns about traffic safety surrounding the schools, the absence of sufficient non-motorized transportation, land use policies, and school consolidation. As a result, more parents are driving their children to school, morning traffic congestion is worsening, and children are getting less exercise. Residents in Orange County can change this cycle,just as those in other communities across the country have done. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 3 6 2. Existing Conditions Introduction Defining the existing conditions of the study area is an important ' first step towards creating an SRTS Action Plan. It documents the physical conditions of the study area, participant observations and the pedestrian and vehicle norms within each individual school that eventually decide the issues the Action Plan must mitigate. The existing conditions were documented through on- ; ,, site visits, publicly available Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, and information provided by each school. Infrastructure r. barriers and deficiencies were identified using the policies and patterns of the area around each school community. Using this information, a school overview was created to define the existing infrastructures strengths and deficiencies. A comprehensive approach was used to analyze existing conditions including the collection of data from site work, field interviews,and area mapping.Athorough inventory of the existing conditions at each school was compiled to provide a baseline to measure the outcomes of the SRTS Program. Field assessments and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data were used to jN develop the baseline profiles of the existing conditions. Field assessments were used to assess the existing infrastructure, travel patterns, and user behavior.This included a thorough on-site assessment of existing infrastructure within the school zone, and an evaluation of both traffic and behavioral patterns exhibited by roadway users during drop off and pick up. Staff logged the important features of both the physical and behavioral components of the transportation environment within the school zone and spoke with police officers,teachers, and administrators. The field assessments broadly analyze school traffic patterns, characteristics of the transportation network users,and the existing infrastructure strengths and weaknesses within the school zone. GIS data was used to find relevant points-of-interest, crash histories, existing bike and pedestrian facilities, and walk and bike zones. GIS data was also used to analyze bicycle and pedestrian facilities and gaps. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina LF 7 Overview The 13 schools being examined for this study are part of the Orange County school system and all reside inside or near the Town of Hillsborough.The Town has made improving the active transportation around schools a high priority and the community wants to see investment in multimodal transportation. Cooperation between schools, citizens, and local officials is necessary for improvements surrounding the schools. Figure 2.1 shows an overview map of the 13 schools. ti Phelps Rd N i _ _ Orange County <, n i Ir N ccaneedhi-Saponi I o� SDrSA 57 I Jj 0 ° I p4 1 I� 1 I 1 I I I 1 724 Jt I 1 `t I a0 F.v iicPq Wilkerson Acres QHillcrest c O O �' 70 Orange 70 Heights Eastwood Efland O 85 Rosewood QD Mountain Hillsborough wTen Fd 6en Johnston Rd Pop 86 Occoneechee 70 c as Mountain s� Colo 8 Sunshine Acres Joppa Oa Seven Mills Farms 79, Orange County Schools Overview Schools O Orange Middle School O OAL Stanback Middle School Q Orange High School New Hope Elementary School O Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School © 3 © Cedar Ridge High School Gravelly Hill Middle School i z O Grady A Brawn Elementary Partnership hip Academy a New Ho o Walnut Cove © Central Elementary School ® River Park Elementary School O Hillsborough Elementary School ® Pathways Elementary School Hideaway Estates 0 0.5 1 2 Miles I i i i I Figure 2.7:Schools Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 5 8 1 - AL Stanback Middle School Al Stanback Middle School serves grades 6 to 8 and has a total enrollment of 644 students. It is located south of Hillsborough town limits on Benton Drive and Storey Lane just off of NC 86. Traffic volumes along Benton Drive and Storey Lane are low,while traffic volumes along NC 86 range from 5,600 to 11,000 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the school.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school.Three pedestrian crashes,with one suspected serious injury, and one bicycle crash have occurred within the 20-minute walk band. No students walk or bike to school.AL Stanback Middle School expressed satisfaction with the current infrastructure as no students currently walk or bike to school. Table 1.1:AL Stanback Middle School Characteristics Grades Serviced 6th_8th Total Enrollment 644 Number of Buses 14 Number of Students Riding the Bus 424 in the AM;457 in the PM Number of Students Walking 0 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 185 Special Needs Population 114(18%) Land Uses Surrounding School Rural, Low-density residential Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones Entire school zone Crossing Guards Sherriff directing traffic in AM Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling Yes—students are not allowed to walk or bike to school Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity Front lot:74 spaces; Back lot:20 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 3 staff in the AM and PM Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 2181 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for AL Stanback Middle School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.2.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.4. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 6 9 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are no AL Stanback students walking or bicycling to school. On-site observations noted no elementary school pedestrians or cyclists walking in the vicinity of the school. Field staff noted the following travel norms for AL Stanback: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as good. Drivers are generally respectful of other cars and follow the rules. ♦ The car rider drop off and pick up occurs at the entrance along Benton Drive.The car line queues along Benton Drive, but it was not observed backing up to NC 86. ♦ Staff indicated that the carpool line backs onto NC 86 sometimes, especially in the beginning of the school year before after-school sports start. ♦ Exiting traffic was a little backed up on BentWon Drive, but not substantial. ♦ The left-turn lane on NC 86 can back up at times. ♦ The morning drop-off line queues along the westernmost driveway and down Benton Road.The afternoon pick-up car line queues around the easternmost driveway near the sports fields to prevent significant backups. ♦ Traffic was slightly backed up on Benton Drive in the afternoon by a few vehicles, but not significant. ♦ Crossing guards were not present. However, staff indicated a sheriff sometimes directs traffic at the intersection of Benton Drive and NC 86. ♦ The shoulder on NC 86 is narrow and the terrain is difficult for walking. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Few strengths were noted due to the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. + Due to its location in a very sparse residential neighborhood,there is no through traffic along Benton Drive and the car queues do not cause significant traffic issues or concerns. Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There is no clear pedestrian crossing signage on any of the roads surrounding the school. — There are multiple two-lane, rural roadways that pose safety barriers for school-age cyclists and pedestrians. — Traffic is significant, especially during school start and end times, along the primary route to school, NC 86. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.1 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 7 10 Table 2.1: Key Infrastructure Caps at AL Stanback Middle Road Orientation Ga• NC 86 Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Storey Lane Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Benton Drive Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: Benton Drive and NC 86(Map ID 1): Benton Drive ends at NC 86 as an unsignalized intersection. Due to high speeds coupled with high traffic volumes along NC 86,this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Photos n r 'M NC 86 right-turn lane onto Benton Drive Looking west along Benton Road to NC 86 kowpp' 1 NC 86 left-turn lane onto Benton Drive Afternoon pick-up line along the school driveway Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina g 11 l' e Co E Scarlett Mountain Rd �.. +rE�St rey L-n � S �o�� 86 �1 AL Stanback Middle Sern�nole Rd DOE Benton�r 4 S Crossing ID Photo ID ® School Zone ` Existing Sidewalks �� ' o Pedestrian Crashes e��c 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 2.2:AL Stanback Middle Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina g 12 2 - New Hope Elementary New Hope Elementary School serves grades Pre-Kindergarten to 5 and has a total enrollment of 559 students. It is located south of Hillsborough town limits along New Hope Church Road just off of NC 86.Traffic volumes along New Hope Church Road range from 1,800 vehicles per day east of NC 86 to 5,100 vehicles per day west of NC 86.Traffic volumes along NC 86 range from 5,600 vehicles per day south of New Hope Church Road to 8,500 vehicles per day north of New Hope Church Road.The school is currently overcapacity based on projected land use in the area and future residential development projections.Three pedestrian crashes, with one suspected serious injury, and one bicycle crash have occurred within the 20-minute walk band.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school. No students walk or bike to school. Table 1.2: New Hope Elementary School Characteristics Grades Serviced Pre K-5t" Total Enrollment 559 Number of Buses 7 Number of Students Riding the Bus 316 in the AM;391 in the PM Number of Students Walking 0 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 243 in the AM;168 in the PM Special Needs Population 16(3%) Land Uses Surrounding School Rural, Low-density residential Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards No Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity Front lot:60 spaces; Back lot:77 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones No Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 16 staff in the AM;15 staff in the PM Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 2181 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for New Hope Elementary School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.3.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.4. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 10 13 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are no New Hope students walking or bicycling to school. On-site observations noted no elementary school pedestrians or cyclists walking in the vicinity of the school. Field staff noted the following travel norms for New Hope: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as poor. Many drivers try to cut in line and make illegal U-turns in the road.Through traffic passes in the center turn lane at full speed. ♦ There are three driveways into the school. Car-rider drop off and pick up occurs at the westernmost driveway. Cars queue around the easternmost and westernmost driveways.The middle driveway is for buses only. ♦ Cars are not supposed to turn left into the school.They are supposed to get in the car queue to turn right.This necessitates that cars coming from the west make a U-turn to enter the car queue. ♦ Several vehicles arriving from the southwest were observed making a U-turn on New Hope Church Road to get in the car queue. Field staff observed several near misses with a car driving straight and a car making a U-turn. ♦ The majority of motorists turn right out of the school towards NC 86. ♦ The morning carpool queue wraps all the way around the third/easternmost driveway and onto New Hope Church Road past the last school driveway. Traffic backs up onto New Hope Church Road by 7:17AM and backs up past the third driveway entrance by 7:25AM.Traffic does not clear until after 7:40AM. ♦ Through traffic was observed passing in the two-way left-turn lane. ♦ Buses were observed crossing through the morning carpool line and passing in the two-way left-turn lane. ♦ All traffic in the two-way left-turn lane causes a conflict for exiting traffic. ♦ The signal at the intersection of New Hope Church Road / NC 86 queues all the way to the carpool exit line and does not include a protected left phase/exclusive turn lane. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Few strengths were noted due to the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone pavement marking is found along New Hope Church Road. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 11 14 Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There are multiple two-lane, rural roadways that pose safety barriers for school-age cyclists and pedestrians. — Traffic is significant, especially during school start and end times, along the primary routes to school, NC 86 and New Hope Church Road. — Overall,the carpool queue is not efficient or suitable for the morning drop off.Very few cars can drop off at one time and cars wait in the queue for an excessive amount of time. Additionally, many students were tardy in the morning due to the excessive amount of time to get through the car line. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.2 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 2.2: Key Infrastructure Gaps at New Hope Elementary Road Orientation Ga• Highway 86 Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes New Hope Church Road Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: New Hope Church Road and NC 86 (Map ID 1): New Hope Church Road and NC 86 intersect at a signalized intersection. Due to high speeds coupled with high traffic volumes along NC 86, this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. New Hope Church Road and 1-40 Off/On Ramps(Map ID 2): New Hope Church Road crosses 1-40 at a grade separated interchange.There are two stop controlled off ramps and two on ramps to 1-40 on New Hope Road.These intersections are very difficultfor pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 12 15 Photos t Bus crossing through the line of cars School traffic turning left in center turn lane,while 2 cars also try to pass in the center turn lane '4F Looking southwest down New Hope Church Road Afternoon pick-up line along New Hope Church towards the intersection with NC 86 Road Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 13 16 � N n A n Cheyenne Dr .per New Hope Elementary 0� O� �a r �r 86 v� o. Crossing ID Photo ID 2 ® School Zone a Existing Sidewalks 1 O Pedestrian Crashes Bike Crashes 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 2.3.New Hope Elementary Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 14 17 70 tam°' `\ � O O / \ O O�aNC 10 \`\ LO I 1 G / �a Cr I I f J / c MtSioatRd \ I � I LT N Y O AL Stanback Middle School Existing Sidewalk © New Hope Elementary School Existing Shared Use Path Q A L Stanback MS Existing Bike Facility Q New Hope ES _ 20 Minute Walk Band O Pedestrian Crashes r_ 10 Minute Bike Band Bike Crashes Park 86 Railroad 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles Figure 2.4:AL Stanback Middle and New Hope Elementary Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 15 18 3 - Cedar Ridge High School Cedar Ridge High serves grades 9 to 12 and is located southwest of Hillsborough town limits along New Grady Brown School Road just off of Orange Grove Road.The school has a total enrollment of 1,103 students.The traffic volume along New Grady Brown School Road is 3,200 vehicles per day,while Orange Grove Road has an average daily traffic volume of 4,600 vehicles per day.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school. Six pedestrian crashes,with two fatalities and two suspected serious injuries, and one bicycle crash have occurred within the 20-minute walk band.Two of the pedestrian crashes involved high school-aged pedestrians.Approximately 20-30 students walk to school. Table 1.3: Cedar Ridge High School Characteristics Grades Serviced 9t" -12t" Total Enrollment 1103 Number of Buses 17 Number of Students Riding the Bus 503 in the AM;615 in the PM Number of Students Walking 20-30 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 500 Special Needs Population Unknown Land Uses Surrounding School Rural, Low-density residential,Agricultural Presence of Bike Racks Yes No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards Sherriff directing traffic in the AM and PM Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling Unknown Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students Unknown Existing Parking Capacity 600 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 4-5 Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 2719 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Cedar Ridge High School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.5.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.7. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 16 19 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 20-30 students walking to school. On-site observations noted a number of high school pedestrians that walked from Orange Grove Road east of the school and from Grady Brown Elementary School across the street. Students use Orange Grove Road to access residences on Oakdale Drive and Timbers Drive.A small number of pedestrians walked from Orange Grove Road west of the school.Additional information describing the travel norms for Cedar Ridge High School is listed below: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as poor. Many drivers park on the side of the road to avoid the afternoon car queue and make illegal U-turns in the road. ♦ Staff noted that approximately 20 walkers come down Orange Grove Road and then east along New Grady Brown School Road. Walkers mainly come from the apartment complex and mobile home park nearby. ♦ There were only minor backups of automobile traffic during drop-off times. Traffic does back up during the morning in the right turn lane into the school. ♦ In the morning, traffic on Oakdale Drive turning left onto Orange Grove Road backs up to Blair Drive. ♦ In the afternoon, approximately 15-25 vehicles parked along New Grady Brown School Road to avoid the pick-up queue. Most of these vehicles were then observed making U-turns in the road to leave the school. ♦ In the afternoon, traffic was heavily backed up at the New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road intersection. ♦ There are currently no sidewalks or crosswalks for walkers crossing the Orange Grove Road bridge over 1-40,which has very narrow shoulders. Staff noted that a student has been hit walking in the area. Parents parking on the side of New Grady Brown School Road further limited a safe place for walkers. ♦ In the afternoon, several students were observed crossing Orange Grove Road bridge over 1-40. Several students were observed crossing New Grady Brown School Road to go to New Grady Brown Elementary School. One student was observed crossing the New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road intersection to access a residence east of the intersection. ♦ The sheriff directing traffic expressed concerns over the level of traffic and said that it's a problem. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Few strengths were noted due to the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone signage is found along New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 17 20 Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There are multiple two-lane, rural roadways that pose safety barriers for school-age cyclists and pedestrians. — Through traffic is significant, especially during school start and end times, along the primary routes to school, New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road. — Traffic speeds are an issue along all adjacent and nearby roadways.The speed limit along Orange Grove Road and New Grady Brown School Road is 40 mph and 30 mph within the school zone. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.3 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 2.3: Key Infrastructure Gaps at Cedar Ridge High • •_ • Orientation Ga• New Grady Brown School Road Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Orange Grove Road Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Oakdale Drive Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Timbers Drive Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Arbors Lane Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road (Map ID 1): New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove meet at a signalized intersection. Due to high traffic volumes and the high volume of turning traffic,this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Orange Grove Road and 1-40(Map ID 2):Orange Grove Road bridges over 1-40 at a grade separation. The shoulder along the bridge is very narrow, making this a very unsafe location for pedestrians. There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Orange Grove Road and Oakdale Drive (Map ID 3): Oakdale Drive ends at Orange Grove Road at a stop sign-controlled intersection. Due to high traffic volumes, this intersection is difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 18 21 Photos Cars parked on the side of the road during afternoon Traffic from the afternoon pick up is heavily backed pick up.One car makes a U-turn in the road. up at the New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road intersection. mom k v i ■ Student crossing the intersection at New Grady A sheriff is directing traffic in the morning at the Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road school entrance and exit. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 19 22 A 0 Cedar Ridge Haigh New Grady Brown SchoohRd c J i O Crossing ID Photo ID c L° ® School Zone Existing Sidewalks o Pedestrian Crashes - Bike Crashes 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 2.5:Cedar Ridge High Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 20 23 4 - Grady A Brown Elementary School Grady Brown Elementary serves grades Kindergarten to 5 and is located southwest of Hillsborough town limits along New Grady Brown School Road just off of Orange Grove Road. Surrounding land use is mostly rural, low density residential with some agricultural.The traffic volume along New Grady Brown School Road is 3,200 vehicles per day,while Orange Grove Road has an average daily traffic volume of 4,600 vehicles per day.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school. Six pedestrian crashes,with two fatalities and two suspected serious injuries, and one bicycle crash have occurred within the 20-minute walk band. No students walk or bike to school, but some Cedar Ridge High students do cross the street to travel to and from the elementary school. Table 1.4: Grady Brown Elementary School Characteristics Grades Serviced K-5t" Total Enrollment 415 Number of Buses 8 Number of Students Riding the Bus 189 in the AM;251 in the PM Number of Students Walking 0 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 200 Special Needs Population 80 09%) Land Uses Surrounding School Rural, Low-density residential,Agricultural Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards Sherriff directing traffic occasionally Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 90 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones No Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 20 Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 2719 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Grady A Brown Elementary School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.6.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.7. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 21 24 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are no students walking or bicycling to this school. On-site observations noted no elementary school pedestrians or cyclists walking in the vicinity of the school, but there were a small number of high school students walking between the high school and elementary school. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Grady A Brown: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as good. Drivers are generally respectful and follow rules. ♦ There is one point of entrance and exit for carpool traffic with a center turn lane on New Grady Brown School Road. ♦ Morning traffic was observed backing up to New Grady Brown School Road by 7:20AM and lining up in the center turn lane. ♦ In the morning, traffic on Oakdale Drive turning left onto Orange Grove Road backs up to Blair Drive. ♦ Through traffic was observed passing in the center turn lane coming from the west, but not a lot of non-school traffic was observed. ♦ Vehicles were observed zippering into the carpool line from both directions. ♦ Staff were observed passing the backed-up traffic to enter a separate staff entrance. ♦ Vehicles were observed in both the morning and afternoon making a U-turn along New Grady Brown School Road to get into the shortest queue. ♦ Moderate back up was observed in both directions in the morning. ♦ Vehicles turning left out of the school have a limited line of sight due to the vehicles in the center turn lane, creating safety concerns. ♦ A sheriff was present directing morning traffic, but staff noted they are not present every day. ♦ Heavy back up was observed from both directions in the afternoon.Traffic coming from the east backs up almost to the intersection with Orange Grove Road. ♦ In the afternoon,vehicles lined up in the center turn lane sometimes block the left turn exit out of the school. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Few strengths were noted due to the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone signage is found along New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 22 25 Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There are multiple two-lane, rural roadways that pose safety barriers for school-age cyclists and pedestrians. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.4 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 2.4: Key Infrastructure Gaps at Grady A Brown Elementary Key Crossing Issues Road Orientation Gap New Grady Brown School Road Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Orange Grove Road Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Oakdale Drive Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Timbers Drive Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Arbors Lane Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road (Map ID 1): New Grady Brown School Road and Orange Grove meet at a signalized intersection. Due to high traffic volumes and the high volume of turning traffic, this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Orange Grove Road and 1-40 (Map ID 2):Orange Grove Road bridges over 1-40 at a grade separation. The shoulder along the bridge is very narrow, making this a very unsafe location for pedestrians. There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Orange Grove Road and Oakdale Drive (Map ID 3): Oakdale Drive ends at Orange Grove Road at a stop sign-controlled intersection. Due to high traffic volumes, this intersection is difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 23 26 Photos r r Looking west along New Grady Brown School Looking west along New Grady Brown School Road Road at cars turning right into the school for the at cars turning left into the school for the afternoon afternoon pick up pick up .t r Pedestrian signage on New Grady Brown School Sheriff directing traffic exiting out of the school Road Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 24 27 N ;R 0 v� New Grad Brown Shoo\ ; Q� o O Grady A Brown � , Elementary , 1 J O JG .fl Q LO- C7 GJ OI C m O Crossing ID i Photo ID - ® School Zone Existing Sidewalks i O Pedestrian Crashes Bike Crashes 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 2.6:Grady Brown Elementary Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 25 28 p N 57o A p ® 86 I � o o m 70 � .--- � �. ► p 1 � _ 3 p4 �`' 70 ► West Ten Rd en Johnston ` /'p , 1 ° / I p � / -- �a -�D o } I \ E \ ♦ o / o \ I © O 1 O a� // r �•, 86 i 1 a I p \ I 1 _ l t0 wo Cca a © Cedar Ridge High School Existing Sidewalk OGrady A Brown Elementary School — Existing Shared Use Path a Q Cedar Ridge High Boundary r_J 20 Minute Walk Band GrJ�°r Q Grady Brown Elementary Boundary r—J 10 Minute Bike Band o Pedestrian Crashes Park Railroad 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles Bike Crashes Figure 2.7:Cedar Ridge High School and Grady Brown Elementary School Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 26 29 5 - Central Elementary School Central Elementary serves grades Kindergarten to 5 and is located in West Hillsborough along Hayes Street.The total enrollment of this school is 291 students. Surrounding land use is mostly residential.Traffic volumes along Hayes Street are low, while W King Street has an average daily traffic volume of 1,300 vehicles per day.There is a sidewalk along the north side of Hayes Street from Nash Street to the school.Twenty pedestrian crashes,with one fatality and one suspected serious injury, and four bicycle crashes have occurred within the 20-minute walk band. Approximately 5 students walk to school. Central Elementary School expressed a growing need for more bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure around the school. Table 1.5: Central Elementary School Characteristics Grades Serviced K-5t" Total Enrollment 291 Number of Buses 6 Number of Students Riding the Bus 134 in the AM;168 in the PM Number of Students Walking 5 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 113 Special Needs Population 36 (12%) Land Uses Surrounding School Residential Presence of Bike Racks Yes No Walk Zones Yes Crossing Guards Yes Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 70 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 6 Residences within a 10-mile bike ride from the 3459 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Central Elementary School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.8.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.10. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 27 30 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 5 Central Elementary students walking to school. On-site observations noted several elementary school pedestrians that walked from Hayes Street west of the school Field staff noted the following travel norms for Central Elementary: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as fair. Drivers were respectful of pedestrians and other vehicles, but occasionally did not follow the rules. ♦ Crossing guards were present with a stop sign to let vehicles in and out. Police were also present to assist. ♦ In the afternoon queuing backs up in both directions past Foust Street and Spruce Street. ♦ Due to its proximity to Hillsborough Elementary School,there is potential for increased congestion along Hayes Street. ♦ Safety concerns include school buses passing without a passing lane during queuing. ♦ Vehicles will ignore signage restricting left turns out if there is no crossing guard. ♦ Some walkers were observed arriving from the back side of the school, Foust Street, Latimer Street, and Nash Street. ♦ Cyclists were observed coming from both directions along Hayes Street. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + There is sidewalk along the north side of Hayes Street from North Nash Street to Central Elementary School and a sidewalk along the west side of North Nash Street. + Pedestrian crossing signage is found along Hayes Street. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. + There are crosswalks at the intersection of N Nash Street and Hayes Street. Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There are no school zone markings along Hayes Street. — Sections of Hayes Street south of the school have narrow shoulders and overgrown vegetation, making it difficult for walking. — There are no sidewalks or sidewalk gaps found on adjacent roadways.There are no bicycles facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.5 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 28 31 Table 2.5: Key Infrastructure Caps at Central Elementary Road Orientation Ga• W King Street Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Hayes Street Both directions No bike lanes. No sidewalk on the south/ east side. No sidewalk on the west side east of the school. Latimer Street Both directions No sidewalk or bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: Hayes Street and W King Street (Map ID 1): Hayes Street ends at W King Street at a stop sign- controlled intersection.This location has narrow shoulders and overgrown vegetation that makes it difficult for pedestrians to cross safely.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. � . s aI ot Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 29 32 Photos �s � - 5. J� Students and a parent walking to school.Entering Driveway entrance for car queue.Cars waiting to off of Hayes Street through the driveway exit turn left �. -t Looking east along Hayes Street at traffic turning Looking west along Hayes Street. Through traffic is left into the school. passing on the left side. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 30 33 A a � � T 70 �' 70 v Q v v L IWAI lO * f� I "A ' W Corbin St o Daphine Dr v 1? L Q J _ Central Elementary Z V y Z N� s. o � O � 5 2 1 Z Latimer St '' " �' Brownville Ave 3 Crossing ID w Photo ID L ® School Zone - Existing SidewalksF 3 O Pedestrian Crashes Beriton.St p o Bike Cras t ,.• , 0 0.05 0.1 Miles hes � � ,�h Figure 2.8:Central Elementary Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 31 34 6 - Hillsborough Elementary School Hillsborough Elementary serves grades Kindergarten to 5 and is located in West Hillsborough along W Union Street and N Nash Street.This school has a total enrollment of 438 students. Surrounding land use is mostly residential.Traffic volumes along W Union Street are low,while N Nash Street has an average daily traffic volume of 1,400-2,000 vehicles per day. Hillsborough Elementary is located in a residential neighborhood.The school is currently overcapacity based on projected land use in the area and future residential development projections. Hillsborough Elementary is a year-round magnet school and does not have a defined attendance zone.There are some sidewalks along the east side of North Nash Street opposite the school and along the north side of West Union Street adjoining the school.Twenty pedestrian crashes,with one fatality and one suspected serious injury, and four bicycle crashes have occurred within the 20-minute walk band.Approximately 20-30 students walk or bike to school. Table 1.6: Hillsborough Elementary School Characteristics Grades Serviced K-5th Total Enrollment 438 Number of Buses 4 Number of Students Riding the Bus 44 in the AM;89 in the PM Number of Students Walking 20 Number of Students Cycling 2 Number of Students Driven 365 Special Needs Population 72 06%) Land Uses Surrounding School Residential Presence of Bike Racks Yes No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards Sherriff directing traffic Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 115 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 15-20 Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 3645 school Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 32 35 The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Hillsborough Elementary School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.9.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.10. Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 20-30 Hillsborough Elementary students walking or cycling to school. On-site observations noted several elementary school pedestrians walking from W Union Street, N Nash Street, and Occoneechee Street. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Hillsborough Elementary: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as fair. Drivers are respectful and obey speed limits, but there is a high volume of through traffic that passes in the left lane. ♦ Traffic backup along N Nash Street is a major concern, leading to several near misses. ♦ There are two drop-off and pick-up areas for the car riders. Grades K-1 drop off and pick up at the W Union Street entrance. Grades 2-5 drop off and pick up at the N Nash Street entrance. ♦ Moderate non-school traffic was observed along N Nash Street including semi- trailers. ♦ Walkers enter at the school bus drop-off entrance. ♦ Some school and non-school pedestrians were observed walking along W Union Street and N Nash Street. ♦ In the afternoon, traffic for the K-1 pick-up backed up onto N Occoneechee Street with minor through traffic. ♦ Traffic backs up along N Nash Street in the right and left turn lanes for the 2-5 pick up.The school has separate entrance lanes for right turn traffic and left turn traffic.The left turn traffic backs up to W Corbin Street and the right turn traffic backs up past the intersection of N Nash Street and W Union Street. ♦ Due to its proximity to Central Elementary School,there is potential for increased congestion along Hayes Street. ♦ Through traffic passes in the opposite lane on N Nash Street.Through traffic is moderately heavy in the afternoon. Several near misses were observed. ♦ N Nash St is a significant north-south connector for the western side of town and traffic often uses this route to avoid Churton Street. ♦ Buses also pass in the opposite lane on N Nash Street to get around the car line, creating safety concerns. ♦ Vehicles were unable to exit left onto Nash Street because traffic was backed up and blocking the exit. ♦ The intersection of Hayes Street, N Nash Street, and W Union Street is a skewed intersection creating safety concerns. ♦ Vehicles were observed blocking the crosswalk at the school entrance on and the crosswalk to the parking across the street on W Union Street. ♦ Crossing guards were not present. However, a police car with lights on was situated at the grades 2-5 drop-off area. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 33 36 Existing Infrastructure - Strengths The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone and pedestrian crossing signage is found along N Nash Street. + There is a bike rack located on campus. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. + There are sidewalks and pedestrian crossings along the north side of W Union Street. + There is sidewalk located along the west side of N Nash Street across the street from the school. + There are crosswalks at the intersection of N Nash Street and Hayes Street. Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There is a lack of connecting sidewalks on nearby roadways.There are no bicycle facilities on adjacent roadways.Table 2.6 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 2.6: Hillsborough Elementary School Characteristics Road Orientation Gap W Union Street South side No sidewalk or bike lanes N Nash Street East side No sidewalk or bike lanes Occoneechee Street Both Sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: W Union Street and N Occoneechee Street (Map ID 1): W Union Street and N Occoneechee Street meet at a four-way stop intersection. Due to morning and afternoon traffic backups and through traffic passing on the left side, this intersection can be difficult for pedestrians to cross.The only sidewalk is located on W Union Street west of the intersection. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 34 37 Photos - 3 Looking south along N Nash St at the pick-up line for Looking north along N Nash St at left-turn pick-up grades 2-5.A bus is passing on the left while a car line for grades 2-5. coming from the opposite direction is also passing. a �d ti Standing on W Union Street looking west at the Crosswalks on W Union Street in front of the school skewed intersection with N Nash Street and Hayes Street. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 35 38 N gym° 70 70 '�as6PJ ; c a� L CJ °1 70 H Daphine Dr ��" '� W'Corbin St 'Hillsborough Elementary ` Orange St a , v 4 z --- Q W Union St a� v t a� oW Queen St' u y O 1 Z _ N W Tryon St Crossing ID Photo ID ® School Zone W King st Existing Sidewalks cn_ z O Pedestrian Crashes 3 W Margaret L-n 0 0.05 Miles Bike Crashes fir••, 0.1r Figure 2.9:Hillsborough Elementary Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 36 39 o O `3 �o OA —, 86 FaU o Governor0vi4e O z a ,i r` o o i t 00 Ben johnston:Rd 0"_ 70 3 � J U O New Grady Broth o N a oo� O o 2 86 ✓ 0 a © Central Elementary School Existing Sidewalk Z O Hillsborough Elementary School Existing Shared-Use Path rn Q Central Elementary Boundary r_, 20 Minute Walk Band O o O Pedestrian Crashes r_; 10 Minute Bike Band Bike Crashes Park 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles Railroad Figure 2.70:Central Elementary School and Hillsborough Elementary School Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 37 40 7 - Orange Middle School Orange Middle, previously known as C.W.Stanford,serves grades 6 to 8 and has a total enrollment of 521 students. It is located northeast of Hillsborough town limits along Orange High School Road just off of US 70 and the surrounding land use is mostly residential with some commercial.The traffic volume along Orange High School Road is 3,500 vehicles per day,while US 70 has an average daily traffic volume of 13,500 vehicles per day.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities in the vicinity of the school, other than a short section of sidewalk along Orange High School Road. Five pedestrian crashes have occurred within the 20-minute walk band. Approximately 15-20 students walk to school. Orange Middle School expressed a desire for more bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure around the school and support for the Safe Routes to School program. Table 1.7: Orange Middle School Characteristics Grades Serviced 6th-8th Total Enrollment 521 Number of Buses 14 Number of Students Riding the Bus 274 in the AM;320 in the PM Number of Students Walking 15-20 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 200-250 Special Needs Population 4-6 (1%) Land Uses Surrounding School Residential,Commercial Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards Sherriff directing traffic occasionally Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling Walkers must have written permission Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 100 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 2-5 Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 2908 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Orange Middle School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.11. An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.13. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 38 41 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 15-20 Orange Middle students walking to school. On-site observations noted a number of middle school pedestrians walking from the direction of Orange High School. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Orange Middle: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as good. Motorist behavior was observed as good. Drivers are generally respectful and pull of to the shoulder to allow other traffic to pass. ♦ There is one entrance and exit out of the same driveway for carpool traffic. ♦ During the morning drop off, motorists were observed queuing along Orange High School Road and traffic was backed up in both directions.Traffic cleared quickly once the sheriff arrived to direct traffic in the morning. ♦ During the afternoon pick up, traffic backed up in both directions along Orange High School Road.Vehicles were observed pulling onto the shoulder to wait until the afternoon bell.Through traffic was observed passing through the left lane at full speed, creating safety concerns. ♦ Staff noted that some walkers come from the direction of Orange High School down the street and walkers are not released in the afternoon until 3:55PM. ♦ Some cars pull into the driveway exit lane while the carpool traffic is also leaving the exit lane creating the potential for an accident. ♦ Buses must pass in the left lane to get past the cars lined up on Orange High School Road and into the bus lot. ♦ There is not a crossing guard present, but office staff said there is occasionally someone directing traffic during pick-up times when available. ♦ Town of Hillsborough staff noted that students walk from the school to the nearby Walgreens via an existing informal pedestrian path through the woods. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Few strengths were noted due to the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + There is some sidewalk along the immediate school entrance. + There is a short section of sidewalk along Orange High School Road, but it doesn't connect to any other sidewalk. + There is a crosswalk across Orange High School Road at Ann Road. + There is a short segment of sidewalk along the north side of US 70 on the House at Gatewood property. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 39 42 Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — The high speeds and high traffic volume along US 70 presents a serious safety threat for pedestrians and bicyclists. — There is no sidewalk connecting to the crosswalk. — The shoulder along Orange High School Road is narrow and has a steep drop off along certain parts. — There are no bicycle racks located on campus. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.7 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 2.7: Hillsborough Elementary School Characteristics `•. • Orientation Ga• Orange High School Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes US 70 Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Ann Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Joyce Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Harold Latta Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Gwen Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes BUS •. f Ar r h� 1 v *440 �W Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 40 43 Key Crossing Issues The following crossings were noted in the 2013 Safe Route to School Strategic Action Plan.They are still barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: Orange High School Road and US 70 (Map ID 1): Orange High School Road ends at US 70 as a signalized intersection. However, due to high speeds coupled with high traffic volumes along US 70,this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this location. Orange High School Road provides the primary access to the school, so any student walking from US 70 must utilize this intersection. Students living south of US 70 will have to cross this very busy 3-lane roadway. Gwen Road and US 70 (Map ID 2): Gwen Road ends at US 70 at a stop sign-controlled intersection. Due to high speeds coupled with high traffic volumes along US 70, this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this location. N Scotswood Boulevard and US 70 (Map ID 3): N Scotswood Boulevard provides access to the Churton Grove Community, a 330-acre residential area. Scotswood Boulevard currently ends at US 70 at an unsignalized intersection. There are no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this location. High traffic speeds and volumes along US 70 make this intersection difficult for pedestrians to cross. Due to the lack of east-west connectivity in the Churton Grove area, many of the students living in this community might choose US 70 as their preferred route if walking or bicycling to school. NC 86 and NC 57 (Map ID 4): NC 86 and NC 57 meet at a signalized intersection northwest of the school. Students living northwest of the school may choose to use this intersection to access the school from Holman Drive.Traffic volumes can be high during the peak hours.There are currently no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this location. Orange High School Road and Orange Middle School Entrance (Map ID 5):This unsignalized intersection provides primary access to the school.Although speeds are not high during arrival and dismissal times due to the school traffic, there is a significant amount of traffic at this location. Currently,there is a short section of sidewalk and one curb ramp along school property but no pedestrian crosswalk. Orange High School Road and Harold Latta Road (Map ID 6): Orange High School Road meets Harold Latta Road at a stop sign-controlled intersection. Students living in this neighborhood may choose to use this intersection to access the school via Orange High School Road.There are currently no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this intersection. Due to the unusual geometry, pedestrian paths should be clearly defined at this intersection. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 41 /�'•_ " ..mac'_ 44 Photos Small section of sidewalk along Orange High School Looking north along Orange High School Road at Road the school entrance School entrance and end of sidewalk Looking south along Orange High School Road at traffic turning left into the school.A UPS truck is passing on the left side. Safe Routes toSchool Orange 45 Governor Burke Rd Shawnee Dr S\ver� Crr c/,�okTr/ c A i n J -s' 57 Or -� m � F o ° Orchard PI 9 u 2 � - � n _ � N A Woodlawn Dr 7 Q° Churton Grove Blvd Ann Rd ' a o � � m o � 3 �_ 'Nancy Dr o z o Orange Middle - = gppieL•n a/ns�yo�he/va o' 0Uj 86 - ; 4 O 70 E Corbin St Q n m MEM19 70 z Crossing ID �d Photo ID ❑d School Zone ueen Sty^ Existing Sidewalks O Pedestrian Crashes Bike Crashes 0 0.1 0.2 Miles Figure 2.77:Orange Middle Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 43 46 8 - Orange High School Orange High serves grades 9 to 12 and has a total enrollment of 1,200 student. It is located in northeast Hillsborough along Orange High School Road just off of US 70 and the surrounding land use is mostly residential with some commercial.The traffic volume along Orange High School Road is 3,500 vehicles per day,while US 70 has an average daily traffic volume of 13,500 vehicles per day.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school. Five pedestrian crashes have occurred within the 20-minute walk band.Two of these crashes involved high school-aged pedestrians.Approximately 15-20 students walk or bike to school. Table 1.8: Orange High School Characteristics Grades Serviced 9th-12th Total Enrollment 1200 Number of Buses 22 Number of Students Riding the Bus 470 in the AM;472 in the PM Number of Students Walking 15 Number of Students Cycling 2 Number of Students Driven 730 Special Needs Population Yes (# Unknown) Land Uses Surrounding School Residential,Commercial Presence of Bike Racks Yes No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards No Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students Yes Existing Parking Capacity 600 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 3 Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 2908 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Orange Middle School.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.12.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.13. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 44 47 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 15-20 Orange High students walking or cycling to school. On-site observations noted several high school pedestrians walking through the practice football field to the nearby neighborhood. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Orange High: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as poor. Many drivers park on the side of the road to avoid the afternoon car queue and make illegal U-turns in the road, creating safety concerns for students and other drivers. Parents also cut into the car queue, park in visitor spots, and park in the woods causing a lot of potential for accidents. Other traffic speeds through the school zone. ♦ The car queue in the morning is short with relatively little to no queuing. Sometimes traffic turning left into the school causes a small back up of no more than 5 cars, but clears quickly. ♦ The car queue in the afternoon is heavier, however,there is no backup onto Orange High School Road. ♦ Approximately 10-15 cars park on the side of Orange High School to avoid waiting in the car queue. Cars park on both sides of the road and make a U-turn in the road to leave. Students walk out to the cars, sometimes crossing the street. Field staff observed a near miss between a vehicle and student. ♦ Students walking to and from school cut across the practice football field to walk from the nearby neighborhood. ♦ Town of Hillsborough staff noted that students walk from the school to the nearby Walgreens via an existing informal pedestrian path through the woods. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Few strengths were noted due to the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Sidewalks in the immediate vicinity of the school are adequate. Existing infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — The high speeds and high traffic volume along US 70 presents a serious safety threat for pedestrians and bicyclists. — There are no crosswalks or pedestrian signage in the vicinity of the school. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways and there is no sidewalk connectivity to nearby neighborhoods.Table 2.8 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 4S 48 Table 2.8: Key Infrastructure Gaps at Orange High •. • Orientation Ga• Orange High School Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes US 70 Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Ann Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Joyce Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Harold Latta Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Gwen Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings were noted in the 2013 Safe Route to School Strategic Action Plan.They are still barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: Orange High School Road and US 70 (Map ID 1): Orange High School Road ends at US 70 as a signalized intersection. However, due to high speeds coupled with high traffic volumes along US 70,this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this location. Orange High School Road provides the primary access to the school, so any student walking from US 70 must utilize this intersection. Students living south of US 70 will have to cross this very busy 3-lane roadway. Gwen Road and US 70 (Map ID 2): Gwen Road ends at US 70 at a stop sign-controlled intersection. Due to high speeds coupled with high traffic volumes along US 70, this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this location. N Scotswood Boulevard and US 70 (Map ID 3): N Scotswood Boulevard provides access to the Churton Grove Community, a 330-acre residential area. Scotswood Boulevard currently ends at US 70 at an unsignalized intersection. There are no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this location. High traffic speeds and volumes along US 70 make this intersection difficult for pedestrians to cross. Due to the lack of east-west connectivity in the Churton Grove area, many of the students living in this community might choose US 70 as their preferred route if walking or bicycling to school. Orange High School Road and Harold Latta Road (Map ID 4): Orange High School Road meets Harold Latta Road at a stop sign-controlled intersection. Students living in this neighborhood may choose to use this intersection to access the school via Orange High School Road.There are currently no sidewalks or pedestrian treatments at this intersection. Due to the unusual geometry, pedestrian paths should be clearly defined at this intersection. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 46 49 Photos Looking north along Orange High School Road at Students walking on the opposite side of the road to school entrance get to a car 5 Traffic passing on both sides while cars are pulled Cars pulled off to the side to avoid the car queue.A off to the side bus is passing the cars partially in the left lane Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 47 50 c I've 4 \Cxv i � 3 Red Fo'X Trl QOC�hard Pl `,* i. 'Harold Latta Dr, ��. �Oramge High o w 0 m n Woodlawn-Dc,.u,; O Gl - � ;! � Z Churton Grove Blvd _ Ann Rd Lo rm � .77 n Nancy Dr = cn _J Z ❑`. 2 � fipple L I Ainswo�.h elv. i Alk ru _ 0 - ,'�• %",, ; 70 J Crossing ID K Photo ID " ® School Zone Existing Sidewalks 5 O Pedestrian Crashes r, ,,✓�� Bike Crashes 0 0.05 0.1 Miles ,.. i Figure 2.12:Orange High Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 48 51 N wd�kerR� A 57 r �o 1 0 a ° r�� o i 03 z ` Q Fa 01 Governnor9i — — — Ucene r Oi 1 I 70 --_� �.--- �r IC r � 0 o r 00 0 r / C � 70 �o OG 3 U o E Gt�, • ' E o Ota�Ae New Grady Bropp, 0 O Orange Middle School Existing Sidewalk 86 10 Q Orange High School Existing Shared-Use Path Q Orange Middle Boundary r— 20 Minute Walk Band Q Orange High Boundary r— 10 Minute Bike Band O Pedestrian Crashes Park ° o Bike Crashes Railroad ° 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles Figure 2.73:Orange Middle School and Orange High School Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 49 52 9 - Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School Efland Cheeks Global Elementary serves grades Kindergarten to 5 and has a total enrollment of 561 students. It is located in west Efland along Fuller Road just off of US 70 and the surrounding land use is mostly residential and undeveloped.Traffic volumes are low on Fuller Road and School House Road,while US 70 has an average daily traffic volume of 7,600 vehicles per day.The school is currently overcapacity based on projected land use in the area and future residential development projections. There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school.There are no documented pedestrian or bicyclist crashes within the 20-minute walk band. Approximately 15 students walk to school. Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School expressed a desire for more bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure around the school and support for the Safe Routes to School program. Table 1.9: Orange High School Characteristics Grades Serviced K-5t" Total Enrollment 561 Number of Buses 8 Number of Students Riding the Bus 275 in the AM;320 in the PM Number of Students Walking 15 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 292 Special Needs Population 5(1%) Land Uses Surrounding School Rural residential Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards Sherriff directing traffic Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 81 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 10 Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 1207 school Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 50 53 The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School. A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.14.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.16. Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 15 Efland Cheeks students walking or cycling to school. On-site observations noted several elementary school pedestrians walking from School House Road, Lucia Lane, Tinnin Road, and Fuller Road. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Efland Cheeks: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as good. Drivers are respectful and obey speed limits. ♦ In the morning, traffic backs up onto Fuller Road and School House Road. Cars must queue east of the school on Fuller Road and then onto School House Road. Cars are not allowed to access Fuller Road from US 70.They must enter the car line on Tinnin Road from US 70. ♦ In the afternoon, traffic backs up to Tinnin Road. Cars block driveways of residences along School House Road. ♦ Security officer was observed directing exiting traffic out to US 70 during the morning drop off. Once traffic started backing up the officer directed exiting traffic back to Fuller Road. ♦ In the afternoon, several students walkers were observed using School House Road and Fuller Road. Parents walk to the school to pick students up.There is an obsolete driveway parents and students use to cut from School House Road to the school. ♦ Safety concerns include blind curves along School House Road and Fuller Road. ♦ Traffic is significant, especially during school start up and end times, along the Highway US 70 E which is a primary route to enter the school.Traffic along School House Road and Fuller Road is calm and slow. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Few strengths were noted due to the lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + There is one school zone sign along the section of Fuller Road entering the school from US 70.There is clear school zone signage along US 70. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. + Traffic is relatively slow and calm and there is no through traffic. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 51 54 Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — Richmond Road connecting to Fuller Road is currently 45 mph. — There is limited school zone signage along Fuller Road entering the school from the east where Fuller Road connects with Tinnin Road. — There are multiple two-lane roadways that pose safety barriers for school-age cyclists and pedestrians. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.9 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 2.9: Key Infrastructure Gaps at Orange High Poad Orientation Gap Fuller Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes School House Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Tinnin Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Richmond Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes US 70 Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: Fuller Road and US 70 (Map ID 1): Fuller Roads ends at US 70 as a stop sign-controlled intersection. Due to high speeds coupled with high traffic volumes along NC 70, this intersection is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Fuller Road and School House Road (Map ID 2): Fuller Road and School House Road meet at a stop sign-controlled intersection.The dense vegetation at this intersection creates a blind corner when turning left onto School House Road from Fuller Road and when turning onto Fuller Road from School House Road, making it difficult for pedestrians to cross safely.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Richmond Road and School Side Entrance (Map ID 3):The side driveway of Efland Cheeks ends at Richmond Road as a stop sign-controlled intersection.The speed limit on Richmond Road is 45 mph, making it difficult for pedestrians to cross safely. In addition, cars coming off of US 70 may be travelling quickly.There are no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings at this location. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 52 e � :I�•,� �� y14 4,x �.r M1f� .. 55 Photos Blind comer at School House Road and Fuller Road Standing on Fuller Road looking north at the school entrance Afternoon pick-up line on School House Road. Afternoon pick-up line on School House Road Several parents walking to pick up students. Safe Routes toSchool Orange 56 N A Qy ,y 5� `Buckwalter L-n v m Gregg St 1 Alice Miller Ct Efland Cheeks Park � e Efland Cheeks � � Global Elementary o � �� Chad�`G Fuller Rd FG�e ,� 0 � 70 Oi Sanders Rd v Crossing ID Photo ID v c ❑a3 School Zone e7 Existing Sidewalks O Pedestrian Crashes d Watson Rd Bike Crashes Railroad 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 2.74:Efland Cheeks Global Elementary Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 54 57 10 - Gravelly Hill Middle School Gravelly Hill Middle serves grades 6 to 8 and has a total enrollment of 418 students. It is located in west Efland along W Ten Road and the surrounding land use is a mix of rural residential, commercial, industrial, and undeveloped.Traffic volumes along W Ten Road range from 1,100 to 3,000 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the school.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school, other than a sidewalk along W Ten Road on the school's property and a crosswalk.There are no documented pedestrian or bicyclist crashes within the 20-minute walk band.Approximately 2 students walk to school. Table 1.10: Gravelly Hill Middle School Characteristics Grades Serviced 6th-8th Total Enrollment 418 Number of Buses 9 Number of Students Riding the Bus 175 in the AM and PM Number of Students Walking 2 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 250 Special Needs Population 116(28%) Land Uses Surrounding School Rural residential,Commercial, Industrial, Underdeveloped Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones Yes Crossing Guards No Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students Yes Existing Parking Capacity 50 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 4-6 Residences within a 10 min bike ride from the 1207 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Gravelly Hill School. A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.15.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.16. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 55 58 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 2 Gravelly Hill students walking or cycling to school. On-site observations noted one middle school pedestrian walking from W Ten Road to houses across the street. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Gravelly Hill: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as good. Drivers are respectful and obey speed limits. Cars do occasionally block the crosswalk, but there are no pedestrians around. ♦ There is one entrance to the school and left and right turn exit lanes out of the school. ♦ There is light traffic along W Ten Road during the morning and light to moderate traffic in the afternoon. ♦ During the afternoon pick up, vehicles back up to W Ten Road.Traffic backs up past the right turn lane—cars do pull over on the shoulder. Traffic backs up to the end of the left turn lane. ♦ Through traffic will use the center turn lane to pass.Traffic is able to safely pass in both directions. ♦ One walker was observed in the afternoon. ♦ There are no crossing guards or sheriffs present to direct traffic. ♦ Safety concerns include limited sight distance for cars exiting left out of the school due to the vehicles backed up along W Ten Road.Additionally,vehicles must pull into the crosswalk to see around the cars in the right turn lane. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone and pedestrian crossing signage is found along W Ten Road. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. + There is sidewalk on the section of school property adjacent to W Ten Road. + There is a crosswalk at the school entrance along W Ten Road. + There is a bike rack located at the school. Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There are multiple two-lane, rural roadways that pose safety barriers for school-age cyclists and pedestrians. — W Ten Road presents a serious safety threat for pedestrians and bicyclists because of its lacking infrastructure, high speeds,traffic volume, and hilly terrain. Either side of W Ten Road presents engineering challenges for sidewalk or trails since there is no curb and gutter. — The speed limit within the school zone is 45 mph. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadway, other than the sidewalk on school property.Table 2.10 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 56 59 Table 2.10: Gravelly Hill Middle School Characteristics • •. • Orientation Ga• W Ten Road Both sides No sidewalk outside of school property. No bike lanes Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: W Ten Road and School Entrance:The main entrance to Gravelly Hill Middle is located on W Ten Road. While there is a crosswalk at this location, it does often get blocked by cars exiting and entering the school driveway, making it a difficult location for pedestrians to cross.Additionally,the speed limit in the school zone is 45 mph, making it dangerous for pedestrians to cross across W Ten Road. Photos Crosswalk at school entrance Sidewalk along W Ten Road in front of school low- Ammi Cars blocking the crosswalk during afternoon Traffic in the left-turn lane during the afternoon pick up pick up Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina S7 60 r,. 111W _ N 1�^ k K s' o - 4 l Y' r K' '��. � � u 1 y► ��, �' Gravelly Hill a Middle ct- CIRO +7�--- --- '6st Ten Rd �a 0 �o s Crossing ID m Photo ID ® School Zone Existing Sidewalks O Pedestrian Crashes Bike Crashes 0 0.05 0.1 Miles i � Figure 2.75.Gravelly Hill Middle Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 58 61 N 9 �'p0��r S R \ O E o s m 00 �- -- 70 e Oen Rd �� \ Ben Johnston Rd o \�' o Jy`C\`I Cook E o v w a� o` 0 p E �a O Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School 161, Gravelly Hill Middle School u v Q Efland Cheeks Global Elementary Boundary d y� Q Gravelly Hill Middle Boundary 0 Pedestrian Crashes N o Bike Crashes �a r_; 20 Minute Walk Band �i°J r_; 10 Minute Bike Band 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles Railroad Figure 2.76:Efland Cheeks Global Elementary and Gravelly Hill Middle School Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 59 62 11 - Partnership Academy High School Partnership Academy serves grades 9 to 12 and has a total enrollment of 54 students. It is located in east Hillsborough along Corporate Drive just off of US 70 Alternate and the surrounding land use is mostly residential and commercial.Traffic volumes are low on Meadowlands Drive and Corporate Drive,while US Highway 70A has an average daily traffic volume of 6,400 vehicles per day.Town of Hillsborough staff noted the parcel directly south of the school is likely to redevelop to a more intense use,which could increase traffic volumes on Corporate Drive. Partnership Academy is a year-round magnet school and does not have a defined attendance zone.There are some sidewalks in the vicinity around the school along Meadowlands Drive and US Highway 70A.There are no documented pedestrian or bicyclist crashes within the 20-minute walk band. No students walk or bike to school. Table 1.11: Partnership Academy High School Characteristics Grades Serviced 9t"-12tn Total Enrollment 54 Number of Buses 4 Number of Students Riding the Bus 28 in the AM;31 in the PM Number of Students Walking 0 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 20 Special Needs Population (50%) Land Uses Surrounding School Residential,Commercial Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards No Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 23 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 7 Residences within a 10 min bike ride from the 6128 school Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 60 63 The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Partnership Academy. A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.17.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.19. Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are no Partnership Academy students walking or cycling to school. On-site observations noted no pedestrians or cyclists walking in the vicinity of the school. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Partnership Academy: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as good. Drivers obey speed limits and are respectful of other traffic. ♦ No students were observed walking or cycling during the site visit. ♦ Due to the small school size, there is no traffic back up.The morning car line is never more than 2-3 cars and the afternoon car line is never more than 4-5 vehicles at peak times. ♦ There are no crossing guards or sheriffs directing traffic. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone signage is found along Corporate Drive. + Clear pedestrian crossing signage is found along US 70A. + There are crosswalks along US 70A at the intersections with Prestwood Dr and Quincy Cottage Road. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. + There are sidewalks along portions of Meadowlands Drive, US 70A, and nearby neighborhood roads. + There is no through traffic on Corporate Drive or Meadowlands Drive making these roads safer for walking. Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — Traffic is significant along US 70A and poses a safety barrier for school-age cyclists and pedestrians. — There are no bicycle racks on campus. — Within the surrounding the area, there is no curb and gutter. Drainage ditches and right-of-way are an obstacle to further sidewalk or side path development. — There are no sidewalks or sidewalk gaps on adjacent roadways.There are no bicycle facilities on adjacent roadways.Table 2.11 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 61 64 Table 2.11: Key Infrastructure Gaps at Partnership Academy • •. • Orientation Ga• Corporate Drive Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. US 70A Both sides No sidewalk from Meadowlands Dr to 650 feet west. No sidewalk east of Orange County SportsPlex. Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: Corporate Drive and Meadowlands Drive:There is currently no pedestrian crossing treatment from Corporate Drive across Meadowlands Drive to connect to the sidewalk.Corporate Drive is stop controlled and the traffic along Meadowlands Drive coming from US 70 is free flowing at the intersection. k{ µ ' ' Y +' it —� Room r., i Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 62 65 Imp ■�■ School campus and parking lot Cars entering school entrance during morning drop off f k .4 5 School entrance Cul-de-sac at the end of Corporate Drive Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 63 66 r1 I aa _ L w O M N Y h t . " Y COTTAGE QUINCO s �r E<<SWORT � vsQ H MANOR DR " „ tl` s t 'j Pa tnership Academy O 10 # a�POr re. i III Crossing ID Photo ID ® School Zone Existing Sidewalks O Pedestrian Crashes - Bike Crashes 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 2.77.Partnership Academy Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 64 67 12 - River Park Elementary School River Park Elementary, previously known as Cameron Park,serves grades Kindergarten to 5 and has a total enrollment of 558 students. It is located near downtown Hillsborough along St Marys Road and the surrounding land use is mostly residential and commercial.The traffic volume along St Marys Road is 3,100 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the school.The school is currently overcapacity based on projected land use in the area and future residential development projections.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school, other than a small sidewalk directly in front the school.Thirteen pedestrian crashes,with one suspected serious injury, and two bicycle crashes have occurred within the 20-minute walk band. Approximately 25-30 students walk to school. Table 1.12: River Park Elementary School Characteristics Grades Serviced K-5t" Total Enrollment 558 Number of Buses 7 Number of Students Riding the Bus 220 in the AM;351 in the PM Number of Students Walking 25-30 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 350-400 Special Needs Population 11 (2%) Land Uses Surrounding School Residential,Commercial Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards Sheriff directing traffic and serving as crossing guard occasionally Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 78 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones No Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 5-10 Residences within a 10-min bike ride from the 5121 school Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 6S 68 The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for River Park Elementary.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.18.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.19. Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 25-30 students walking or cycling to school. On-site observations noted 24 students walking to school mainly from Lydia Lane. A few students walked from St Marys Road west of the school. Field staff noted the following travel norms for River Park Elementary: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as fair. School traffic was respectful of other drivers but did not always yield to pedestrians. ♦ In the morning, traffic is backed up moderately in both directions.There is a high volume of school traffic. ♦ In the afternoon, traffic is backed up significantly in both directions. Some through traffic passes in the left lane from both directions,while some through traffic waits in the car line. Some through traffic turns down Lydia Lane and E Tryon Street to avoid waiting in the queue. ♦ Due to the long queues on St. Marys Road, several dangerous maneuvers were witnessed during the observation period. One car was observed turning left out of the school while families were crossing the crosswalk.Vehicles were observed turning out of the school while traffic is going by on St Marys Road. Multiple vehicles were observed making a U-turn on St. Marys Road to get out of the school carpool line. ♦ Most of the 24 students that walked to school came from from Lydia Lane and 3-4 families walked from the west along St Marys Road. Families were observed using the crosswalk to cross St Marys Road. ♦ Traffic backs up into the crosswalk during the morning and afternoon, which limits the line of sight for pedestrians, creating safety concerns. ♦ A sheriff was observed directing traffic and serving as crossing guard in the morning.The sheriff did not arrive until 7:33AM after several students had already walked to school. A sheriff directed traffic in the afternoon but did not assist with pedestrians crossing. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths River Park Elementary's location near downtown Hillsborough makes it a prime location for students to walk or bicycle to school.The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone and pedestrian crossing signage is found along St Marys Road. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front and side.There is a small section of sidewalk along St Marys Road at the school front. + There is a crosswalk with crossing signage across St. Marys Road at the intersection with Lydia Lane. + neighborhood roads. + There is no through traffic on Corporate Drive or Meadowlands Drive making these roads safer for walking. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 66 69 Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — There are multiple roadways in the area that pose safety barriers for elementary student pedestrians and bicyclists. — Neighborhoods to the north of US 70 do not have a safe crossing to the roads that lead to the school. — Besides the crossing on St. Marys Road at the intersection of Lydia Lane, there are no other marked crosswalks within the vicinity of the school. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.12 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 2.12: Key Infrastructure Caps at River Park Elementary Road Orientation Ga• St. Marys Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. Lydia Lane Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. East Queen Street Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. North Cameron Street Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. South Cameron Street East side No sidewalk or bike lanes. East Tryon Street North side No sidewalk or bike lanes. Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: St Marys Road and Lydia Lane: Lydia Lane ends at St Marys Road at a stop sign-controlled intersection. While there is already a crosswalk at this location, the high volume of traffic along St Marys Road still creates safety concerns for pedestrians. In addition, the crosswalk is located next to the left-turn lane out of the school, creating potential conflicts for turning traffic and pedestrians crossing. St Marys Road and E Tryon Road: E Tryon Road ends at St Marys Road at a stop sign-controlled intersection. E Tryon Road meets St Marys Road as it comes out of a curve, creating a dangerous location for pedestrians.There is a sidewalk on the south side of E Tryon Road, but no pedestrian crossings at this location. St Marys Road, Cameron Street, and E King Street: St Marys Road, Cameron Street, and E King Street meet at a stop sign-controlled skewed intersection. Due to the unusual geometry of this intersection, is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.There is a crosswalk at E King Street and sidewalks along both sides of E King Street, the west side of St Marys Road, and the west side of S Cameron Street. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 67 70 Photos �r at} Exit lanes out of school.Left-turn lane is right next to Morning traffic backed up on St Marys Road crosswalk Sidewalk in front of River Park Elementary Crosswalk on St Marys Road Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 68 71 N Caine s tt TT _i 9i T � h Z A E Q.ween St o °1 StMaNSRa rt E Tryon'StN, Q i2iuer Park L-ernentary� 'Tij a.•�Y � El /r E King St r + o I 4p r� Ln U x Crossing ID Photo ID ® School Zone Existing Sidewalks Burnside Dr Ya r"*' 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Existing Shared Use Path 1 rigure 2.IS:River Park Elementary Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 69 72 ro �d�` 1 i 86 1 J\fie 1 a o / Governor-� 1 �. ` PMi i o t f Q�� Il po a, i ®/j I 0 70 ltno� 110 r'I/ ^\ / O �\ 00 r /' Ben johnston.Rd O i \ \\ o 70 m v - ' E \ \ New Grady Broth,, O o � A A " 01 �4 ..�. 86 ,, ✓ QD Partnership Academy Existing Sidewalk ® River Park Elementary School — Existing Shared Use Path a _ rn Q River Park Elementary Boundary r_, 20 Minute Walk Bands O o O Pedestrian Crashes i__! 10 Minute Bike Band o Bike Crashes Park Railroad 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles Figure 2.79:Partnership Academy and River Park Elementary Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 70 73 13 - Pathways Elementary School Pathways Elementary serves grades Pre-Kindergarten to 5 and has a total enrollment of 370 students. It is located north of Hillsborough town limits along Strouds Creek Road just off of NC 57 and the surrounding land use is mostly agricultural and residential.Traffic volumes are low on Strouds Creek Road,while NC 70 has an average daily traffic volume of 6,400 vehicles per day.There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities on the roadways in the vicinity of the school,other than a small section of sidewalk along Strouds Creek Road.There are no documented pedestrian or bicyclist crashes within the 20-minute walk band.Approximately 8 students walk to school. Table 1.13: River Park Elementary School Characteristics Grades Serviced Pre-K-51h Total Enrollment 370 Number of Buses 5 Number of Students Riding the Bus 105 in the AM;126 in the PM Number of Students Walking 8 Number of Students Cycling 0 Number of Students Driven 130 Special Needs Population 0 Land Uses Surrounding School Residential,Agricultural Presence of Bike Racks No No Walk Zones None Crossing Guards No Policies that Restrict Walking or Bicycling No Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Taught to Students No Existing Parking Capacity 94 spaces Presence of Car Waiting Zones Yes Number of Staff Managing Drop off/Pick up 16 Residences within a 10 min bike ride from the 643 school The following pages highlight the data collected pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the existing pedestrian environment for Pathways Elementary.A campus map showing bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, school zone signage, key crossing IDs, and photo IDs is included in Figure 2.20.An overview map showing the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, existing infrastructure, a 20-minute walking radius, and a 10-minute biking radius is included in Figure 2.21. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 71 74 Behavioral Components of Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Patterns There are approximately 8 students walking to school. On-site observations noted several elementary school pedestrians walking from the Stroud's Creek neighborhood adjacent to the school. Field staff noted the following travel norms for Pathways Elementary: ♦ Motorist behavior was observed as fair to good.Traffic appears to go faster than the posted speed limit of 25mph along Strouds Creek Road, but drivers are respectful overall. ♦ There are separate drop-off and pick-up zones for the Pre-K and K-5 grades. ♦ There were no backups of traffic during the morning drop off.Traffic for the K-5 pick up does backup onto Strouds Creek Road past Village Grove Court. ♦ Cars and buses were observed passing in the left lane to get into the school entrance. A few cars traveling to Tumbling Brook Lane also had to pass on the left. ♦ Parents were observed walking from the neighborhood to pick up students.A few students were observed walking home alone,which is not allowed according to school staff. ♦ Safety concerns include vehicles passing in the left lane while vehicles are exiting the school at the same time and cars turning left out of Tumbling Brook Lane having limited sight distance due to the line of cars. ♦ Other safety concerns include no crosswalks across the Pre-K car entrance where students were observed crossing. Existing Infrastructure - Strengths Pathways Elementary's location on a dead-end road makes it a viable location for walking and biking to school from nearby residences. The following observations were noted as existing system strengths: + Clear school zone signage and pavement markings are found along Strouds Creek Road and NC 57. + There are on-campus sidewalks along the building front, adjacent to the carpool drop-off line. + There is a sidewalk connection from Village Grove Court to the first school driveway entrance. + There is no through traffic on Strouds Creek Road and Tumbling Brook Lane is a gated community with no through traffic. Existing Infrastructure - Deficiencies There are multiple issues related to infrastructure deficiency and traffic issues that warrant improvement, create safety hazards, and prevent children from walking and cycling to school safely. Key weaknesses, barriers, and obstacles include the following: — Traffic is significant along the primary route to school NC 57. — There are no crosswalks or curb ramps located on adjacent roadways. — There is no on campus sidewalk connecting from Strouds Creek Road to the school. — There are no pedestrian or bicycle facilities found on adjacent roadways.Table 2.13 summarizes key locations where insufficient infrastructure creates barriers to pedestrians and bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 72 75 Table 2.13: Key Infrastructure Caps at Pathways Elementary Road Orientation Gap Strouds Creek Road Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. Tumbling Brook Lane Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. Village Grove Court Both sides No sidewalk or bike lanes. Key Crossing Issues The following crossings are barriers to safety and prevent children from walk and cycling to school safely: Strouds Creek Road and School Eastern Entrance: The eastern driveway to Pathways Elementary meets Strouds Creek Road a stop sign-controlled intersection. Pedestrians walking from the Stroud's Creek neighborhood use this crossing to walk to and from school. Due to number of vehicles turning in and out of this driveway,this intersection difficult for pedestrians to cross.There is a sidewalk coming from the Stroud's Creek neighborhood, but there are no sidewalks along the western side of the intersection.There are no pedestrian crossings at this location. 44 - • - � a Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 73 76 Photos k Sidewalk in front of Stroud's Creek neighborhood End of sidewalk at the eastern driveway Bus passing in the left lane to get into the bus lot Afternoon pick-up line Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 74 77 N A �9 6r Pathways Elementary - �O 1; OM' ; CO\e ". 57 4. ty { �86� Crossing ID Q Photo ID ® School Zone ;"-- 1 �( 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Existing Sidewalks Figure 2.20:Pathways Elementary Campus Map Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 75 78 N Ota��e Rd �. Edmund Latta Rd y Kenion Rd Phelps Rd �� \ / 57 \ A o t o Fauoe�e 'I Go,,ernorAO r 3 A 'J ® Pathways Elementary School \ Pathways Elementary Boundary Existing Sidewalk \ a — Existing Shared Use Path \ Existing Bike Facility I 70 3 m � r_; 20 Minute Walk Band r_; 10 Minute Bike Band �a u 86 Park Railroad 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles liTi� Figure 2.21:Pathways Elementary School Overview Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 76 79 3. Public Involvement Summary On July 8, 2024, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Orange County Transportation Service (OCTS) conducted a Public Engagement event with all Orange County Public Schools in accordance with the approved Scope of Work.All the principles,vice-principles, school board staff were invited to participate in an open discussion on the SRTS Program. The audience provided OCTS staff important feedback on the program, existing conditions report and potential recommendations to improve the County's SRTS plan. Key highlights from the event include: • Students continue to walk and bike along dangerous roads like NC 86 (AL Stanback Middle and New Hope Elementary), Orange Grove Road (Cedar Ridge High and Grady Brown Elementary), Richmond Road (Efland Cheeks Elementary). ♦ Increasing population is resulting in increasing impact on schools, and subsequent increase in walking and biking to/from schools. • All schools are working on transitioning to Infinite Campus (from Power School) to help improve messaging to students and parents. ♦ The Existing Conditions report was very helpful and informative to the schools. The Orange County Safe Routes to School Plan update was also presented to the Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) on August 19, 2024 to gather more feedback.The following highlights the County's transportation advisory board feedback: ♦ Public school buses are the safest way students can get to/from school, more should be done to promote them. ♦ The plan should also establish a Safe Routes to School Champion to help implement the updated program. • Students are one of the most at-risk traveling populations, more should be done to support them, perhaps through Environmental Justice considerations. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 77 80 4. Project Recommendations Overview The following chapters describe infrastructure and program recommendations for each of the 13 schools studied.Several inputs were used to form the recommendations for each school.These include a combination of public input, County input,school input,field observations and analysis,and infrastructure recommendations from current planning documents,such as the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) 2017 Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP), Orange County2013 CTP, Hillsborough Comprehensive Sustainability Plan (CSP) 2030, and Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) 2015 Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Framework. Recommendations have been categorized by need: high need, medium need, and low need.These categories can help the County and Town determine how to allocate funding to proposed projects. Projects defined as high need may be located in areas where there is already a significant population walking or biking to school, exist in areas with unsafe walking conditions where the project would have high impact, or improve motor behavior significantly to create safer conditions for students to walk or bike to school. Projects defined as medium need may be located in areas with fewer students walking or biking to school. Projects defined as low need may have no students currently walking or biking along the route, exist in a rural setting so projected usage is low, or exist in areas with safer walking conditions where the project would have low impact. Recommendations for improvements in this plan have been developed in coordination with affected municipalities but additional coordination is warranted before projects within municipal limits are prioritized or funded. Projects within municipal boundaries shall be reviewed and approved by the municipality before implementation. Each school is encouraged to work with NCDOT for Municipal School Transportation Assistance to address their car line as it continues to cause increasing safety hazards onto town and state maintained roads. I of rastructu re Types The follow section provides descriptions and examples of recommended infrastructure improvements in this SRTS plan. Bicycle Lane:A dedicated lane on the roadway for bicycle traffic.They are typically 5 to 6 feet in width. Bicycle lanes are recommended along arterials and collectors with speeds greater than 25 mph. Buffered Bicycle Lane:A dedicated lane on the roadway for bicycle traffic that utilizes a small buffer to separate the bike lane from the roadway.They are typically 5 to 6 feet in width and include a buffer of at least 1.5 feet from the roadway. Paved Shoulder: In lieu of bike lanes,the shoulder may be paved to a width of 4 feet or more to provide a space for cyclists. Paved shoulders are recommended for rural highways with low bike traffic.They may provide a viable short-term and low-cost solution for other road types as well. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 78 81 Sidewalk: A path separated from the road that provides a safe space for pedestrians.They are typically 6 feet in width and include a buffer of 5 feet from the roadway. Sidewalks are recommended along routes with speeds higher than 10 mph and traffic volumes higher than 2,000 vehicles per day. Greenway:A paved surface separated from the roadway for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Greenways may run along roadways or streams,through utility corridors, parks, or undeveloped areas, making them a versatile option for safe travel to school. Greenways are typically 10 to 12 feet wide, but may be narrower in areas with constraints or wider in areas with high usage. Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge:A bridge separated from the roadway for use only by bicycle and pedestrian traffic.These bridges allow cyclists and pedestrians to safely cross over obstacles, such as roads, rivers, and railways. School Zone:Typically located 100-500 feet from the school boundary, school zones require vehicular traffic to reduce their speed while travelling through the zone. School zones may be marked by signage and/or roadway markings. Recommendations may include extending the school zone to a larger area or further reducing the speed limit inside the school zone. High Visibility Crosswalk:A designated crossing area on the road with bold markings to gain the attention of drivers. High visibility crosswalks may utilize red or yellow markings in school zones and are often accompanied with pedestrian crossing signs.They encourage drivers to slow down by alerting them to potential pedestrians in the area. Midblock Crossing:A designated crossing area on the road to provide safe crossing between intersections where there is significant pedestrian traffic. Midblock crossings may feature high visibility markings, refuge islands in the center on wider roads, pedestrian crossing signs or signals. Pedestrian Crossing Signal:A pedestrian signal head that is added to existing stoplight- controlled intersections, particularly those with high traffic volumes. Pedestrian crossing signals typically feature a signal head, push button activation, and countdown timer. They help maintain an orderly flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, enhance pedestrian safety, and reduce the likelihood of accidents. High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) Signal:A traffic control device used at midblock crossings where pedestrians may have difficulty crossing due to fast-moving vehicles. HAWK signals utilize a pedestrian push button and traffic signal that require drivers to stop when activated.These devices significantly enhancing pedestrian safety while maintaining traffic efficiency. Speed Hump:A traffic calming measure designed to reduce vehicle speeds to 15 to 20 mph. Speed humps may be placed in areas where lower speeds are desired, such as school zones or near pedestrian crossings. Speed Cushion: A traffic calming measure design to reduce vehicle speeds. Speed cushions are typically placed in a series of two or more and suitable for roads with frequent bus and emergency vehicle traffic. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 79 82 1 - AL Stanback Middle School The following set of recommendations have been developed for AL Stanback Middle. Figure 4.1 shows the recommended projects. Project - - Reference la Add traffic calming Traffic is significant along High measures, such as NC 86 and poses a safety extending the school zone barrier for cyclists and further south and reducing pedestrians. the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph throughout the school zone. lb Add a high visibility Benton Drive and NC 86 Medium crosswalk and pedestrian presents a key crossing crossing signage to NC 86 issue for cyclists and and Benton Drive. pedestrians. lc Add 3.5 miles of sidewalk The lack of bicycle and Medium DCHC MPO and 4' paved shoulders, a pedestrian infrastructure 2017 CTP; bicycle lane, or a shared- along NC 86 presents key Hillsborough use path along NC 86 from infrastructure gaps for CSP 2030 Hillsborough's northern cyclists and pedestrians. town limit to south of New Hope Church Road. Id Add 0.1 miles of sidewalk The lack of bicycle and Medium or a shared-use path along pedestrian infrastructure Benton Drive. along Benton Drive presents key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. le Add 0.1 miles of sidewalk The lack of bicycle and Medium or a shared-use path along pedestrian infrastructure Storey Lane. along and Storey Lane presents key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 80 83 m '�3 , y . m m e�4 m m m lc r G�ayst m 1e s o� ES c rlett o Storey Ln r� i tT q ' ` S> �od� 86 AL Stanback Middle s Seminole Rd •lb E Benton�r;';,ld,. Cheyenne Dr ® Existing School Zone 1W ® Recommended School Zone ORecommended crosswalk and Signage Existing Sidewalks --- Recommended Bicycle Lane - -- Recommended Sidewalk 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.1:AL Stanback Middle Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 81 84 2 - New Hope Elementary School The following set of recommendations have been developed for New Hope Elementary. Figure 4.2 shows the recommended projects. Project I D Recommendation Issue Addressed Need MTP Reference 2a Evaluate alternative internal The carpool queue is not High queueing measures,such efficient or suitable for as beginning drop off and drop off and pick up.Very pick up at an earlier time, a few cars can drop off and longer area for drop off and pick up at one time and pick up, and utilizing two cars wait in the queue for driveways for drop off and an excessive amount of pick up. time. 2b Retime the traffic signal to The signal at the High prioritize traffic along New intersection of New Hope Hope Church Road. Church Road and INC 86 queues all the way to the carpool exit line. 2c Evaluate the need for a The signal at the Low dedicated left-turn lane intersection of New Hope onto INC 86. Church Road and NC 86 queues all the way to the carpool exit line. 2d Add traffic calming Traffic is significant along High measures,such as NC 86 and New Hope extending the school zone Church Road and poses a 600 feet further west and safety barrier for cyclists reducing the speed limit and pedestrians. from 45 mph to 35 mph throughout the school zone. 2e Add a right-turn lane The morning and Medium into the school from the afternoon car queues westernmost driveway to experience heavy backups the easternmost driveway along New Hope Church for the car queue. Road. Buses and cars must pass in the two-way left turn lane to get around the queue. 2f Add a high visibility New Hope Church Road Medium crosswalk and pedestrian and NC 86 presents a key crossing signal to New crossing issue for cyclists Hope Church Road and NC and pedestrians. 86. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 82 85 2g Add 4.2 miles of 4' paved The lack of bicycle and Medium DCHC MPO 2017 shoulders , a bicycle lane, or pedestrian infrastructure CTP a shared-use path along NC along NC 86 and presents 86 from south of New Hope key infrastructure gaps for Church Road to Eubanks cyclists and pedestrians. Road. 2h Add 4.1 miles of 4' paved The lack of bicycle and Medium DCHC MPO 2017 shoulders or a shared-use pedestrian infrastructure CTP path along New Hope along New Hope Church Church Road from Old NC Road presents key 86 to Old NC 10. infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 2i Add 4.1 miles of sidewalk The lack of bicycle and Medium or a shared-use path along pedestrian infrastructure New Hope Church Road. along New Hope Church Road presents key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. I I � Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 83 86 N A s o, L n� a New Hope Elementary 4 - 2h 2e a . ® 2c 2f 2b 86 a® 2d s a2g . ® Existing School Zone ® Recommended School Zone Q Recommended Crosswalk and Signage 3 © Recommended Left-Turn Lane © Recommended Right-Turn Lane Existing Sidewalks --- Recommended Bicycle Lane Recommended Sidewalk '"'�` F. Recommended Paved Shoulder "' 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.2:New Hope Elementary Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 84 87 3 - Cedar Ridge High School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Cedar Ridge High. Figure 4.3 shows the recommended projects. Need MTP Reference Project I D Recommendation Issue Addressed 3a Provide a midblock crossing Several high school High with a median island refuge students are walking to in the existing turn lane. and from Grady Brown Add high visibility crossings Elementary School across and in-roadway crossing the street. signage. 3b Construct 0.3 miles of Approximately20-30 High DCHC MPO sidewalk or shared-use path students walk to school 2017 CTP; along New Grady Brown from the east.There are Hillsborough School Road from New no pedestrian facilities CSP 2030 Grady Brown School to and narrow shoulders, Orange Grove Road. especially along the Orange Grove Road bridge over 1-40. 3c Construct mile of4' paved Approximately20-30 High DCHC MPO shoulders and a sidewalk students walk to school 2017 CTP; or a shared-use pathalong from the east.There are Hillsborough Orange Grove Road from no pedestrian facilities CSP 2030 New Grady Brown School and narrow shoulders, Road to Elfin Blvd. especially along the Orange Grove Road bridge over 1-40. 3d Construct a bicycle and Approximately 20-30 High pedestrian bridge adjacent students walk to school to Orange Grove Road that from the east.There are crosses over 1-40 to provide no pedestrian facilities safe passage. and narrow shoulders, especially along the Orange Grove Road bridge over 1-40. 3e Install no parking signs Drivers park on the side High along New Grady Brown of the road to avoid the School Road to deter afternoon car queue,then parents from parking on make U-turns in the road the side of the road during to leave,further limiting a afternoon pick up. safe space for walkers. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 85 88 3f Construct 1 mile of sidewalk Several students walk to High Hillsborough or shared-use path along school via Oakdale Drive. CSP 2030 Oakdale Drive from Orange There are no pedestrian Grove Road to S Churton facilities along this route. Street. 3g Add a high visibility Several students walk to Medium crosswalk and pedestrian school via Oakdale Drive. crossing signal at the There are no pedestrian intersection of New Grady facilities along this route. Brown School Road and Orange Grove Road. 3h Add a high visibility Several students walk to Medium crosswalk and pedestrian school via Oakdale Drive. signage to the intersection There are no pedestrian of Orange Grove Road and facilities along this route. Oakdale Drive. 3i Construct 0.5 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along New Grady west of Cedar Ridge High Brown School Road from presents infrastructure Dimmocks Mill Road to gaps for cyclists and Cedar Ridge High. pedestrians. 3j Add 0.3 miles of sidewalk or The lack of bicycle and Medium a shared-ue path to Timbers pedestrian infrastructure Drive. along Timbers Drive presents key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. Students living in Patriots Pointe and Timbers Mobile Home Park utilize Timbers Drive to access Orange Grove Road. 3k Add 0.08 miles of a trail The lack of bicycle and Medium connection from Patriots pedestrian infrastructure Pointe to Timbers Drive. along Timbers Drive presents key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. Students living in Patriots Pointe and Timbers Mobile Home Park utilize Timbers Drive to access Orange Grove Road. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 86 89 N t � i L jRanger Or .W 3ki Cedar Ridge High ,. A,3c, M 3j Jena eG�o 3a 3d . 3h' 3i 3e ❑ 3b New Grady Brown School Rd � 3f 3g _ Oakdale pr Existing School Zone Q Recommended Crosswalk and Signage Recommended No Parking Sign — Existing Sidewalks --- Recommended Bicycle Lane -- Recommended Sidewalk Recommended Paved Shoulder Recommended Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge Recommended Trail Connection r 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.3:Cedar Ridge High Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 87 90 4 - Grady A Brown Elementary School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Grady A Brown Elementary. Figure 4.4 shows the recommended projects. Projects 3b-3d, 3f-3h, and 3i have also been identified for Grady A Brown Elementary School. Project I61 Pecommendation Issue Addressed Need MTP Peference 4a Add 0.3 miles of sidewalk, The lack of bicycle and High bicycle lane, or a shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path to Arbors Lane. along Timbers Drive and Arbors Lane presents key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. v v � �SCNOO Bl USBL US " '_ SCH44lBUS ?Oflif OE SECOOHP � ++. ��- ��..� i - 01 NOT MSS j WKM RED UGRS 1 MURKDENT aaSH�Ns �� NNENB[Nlms LkI RRSNIN6 W61C;SN6�18 HSSNIN6 N�RIM- ----- fl1YN6 - THIS IEIf6E SIPS � nflEtarcfloisiHis 0 0 0 IF Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 88 91 N o ,o E RE f 1 Ills New Grady Brown School Rd 1 f -.v 1; Grady A Brown Elementary 4a . . C Q 0 L O ❑a Existing School Zone Existing Sidewalks Recommended Bicycle Lane Recommended Sidewalk 6."•1"` 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.4:Grady Brown Elementary Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 89 92 5 - Central Elementary School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Central Elementary. Figure 4.5 shows the recommended projects. Project I D Recommendation Issue Addressed 5a Add school zone signage There are no school zone High and markings along Hayes markings or signs along Street. Hayes Street. 5b Construct sidewalk and There is a growing need Medium bicycle lanes on W King for more bicycle and Street from N Occoneechee pedestrian infrastructure Street to West Hill Avenue. around Central A near-term solution would Elementary School. be to widen the shoulders The lack of bicycle and along these roads and pedestrian infrastructure maintain vegetation to along W King Street create a safer environment present key infrastructure for elementary students gaps for cyclists and walking and cycling to pedestrians. school. Sc Construct 0.4 miles of There is a growing need High sidewalk or shared-use path for more bicycle and on Latimer Street from King pedestrian infrastructure Charles Road to Lakeshore around Central Drive. Elementary School. The lack of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along Latimer Street present key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 5d Construct 0.8 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or a shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path on Lakeshore Drive along Lakeshore Street from US 70 to W King present key infrastructure Street. gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 5e Construct 0.4 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk and bicycle lanes pedestrian infrastructure or a shared-use path on along parts of Hayes Street Hayes Street from Central presents key infrastructure Elementary to W King gaps for cyclists and Street. pedestrians. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 90 93 5f Add a high visibility Hayes Street and W King Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Street presents a key crossing signage to Hayes crossing issue for cyclists Street and W King Street. and pedestrians. 5g Employ a crossing guard Vehicles ignore signage Medium to ensure vehicles are restricting left turns out following traffic rules and of the school when no create a safer environment crossing guard is present. for pedestrians and cyclists. 5h Construct passing lane School buses turning left Medium for school buses and non- onto Hayes Street must school traffic to pass the car pass in the left lane to get queue. around the car queue, increasing the potential for conflict. I T. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 91 94 N A - i W`Corbi Daphine Dr o v N J LL 2 Central Elementary Sg 5d G � U 5h � Q u O Z 5a` Sc Latimer St r �? z z Brownville Ave aye King St 5f 5b z ,'z1y rn J :o , coo Am WE Existing School Zone St' +E rt - 1 ® Recommended School Zone `s—�.'r O Recommended Crosswalk and Signage WLr. Spring a Existing Sidewalks - -- Recommended Bicycle Lane Recommended Sidewalk -r --- Recommended Passing Lane ,iy r 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.5:Central Elementary Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 92 95 6 - Hillsborough Elementary School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Hillsborough Elementary. Figure 4.6 shows the recommended projects. Project ID Recommendation Issue Addressed Need MTP Reference 6a Install a high visibility The skewed intersection High crosswalk and pedestrian at Hayes Street, N Nash signage at W Union Street Street, and W Union and the south leg of N Nash Street creates a safety Street at the intersection, concern for vehicles and and evaluate realigning the pedestrians. intersection to create safer conditions overall. 6b Construct a southbound Traffic backup along N High left-turn lane so that traffic Nash Street is a major coming north of the school concern.Through traffic, can pass safely in the buses, and traffic exiting through lane. left out of the car queue pass in the opposite lane increasing the potential for conflict. 6c The exit out of the school Traffic backup along N High on N Nash Street should be Nash Street is a major right-turn only to decrease concern.Through traffic, the amount of cars passing buses, and traffic exiting in the opposite lane. left out of the car queue pass in the opposite lane increasing the potential for conflict. 6d Construct 0.5 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along Occoneechee along Occoneechee Street, Street,to serve the students the south side of W Union currently walking to Street, and the east side school and fill in existing of N Nash Street presents infrastructure gaps. key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 6e Construct 0.3 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure along the south side of W along the south side of Union Street to serve the W Union Street presents students currently walking key infrastructure gaps for to school and fill in existing cyclists and pedestrians. infrastructure gaps. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 93 96 6f Construct 0.3 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along the east side of along the east side of N N Nash Street to serve the Nash Street presents key students currently walking infrastructure gaps for to school and fill in existing cyclists and pedestrians. infrastructure gaps. 6h Add a high visibility W Union Street and N Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Occoneechee Street crossing signage to presents a key crossing W Union Street and N issue for cyclists and Occoneechee Street. pedestrians. ■ ■ F Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 94 97 !r ,�_ N. o A -Cedar St.�'" L M Y !Daphine - l �-Hillsborough Elementary �, �� i�• cn W ran St 6b p _ 6c z a.. 6h W Union St 6a _, 6e 111 o W Queen St 6 ft 4. W King St` r N z W Margaret L-n S + l K Q Existing School Zone ORecommended Crosswalk and Signage _ ORecommended Left-Turn Lane ., ORecommended Right-Turn Lane —Existing Sidewalks Recommended Sidewalk \` 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.6:Hillsborough Elementary Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 95 98 7 - Orange Middle School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Orange Middle. Figure 4.7 shows the recommended projects. Project ID Recommendation Issue Addressed Need MTP Reference 7a Construct 0.2 miles of There are no on campus High sidewalk or shared-use path sidewalks connecting to connecting from Orange the school entrance. Middle School building along the driveway to the short section of existing sidewalk along Orange High School Road. 7b Construct 0.7 miles of The lack of bicycle and High DCHC MPO sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure 2017 CTP; along Orange High School along Orange High Hillsborough Road from Harold Latta School Road present key CSP 2030 Drive to US 70. infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 7c Construct 2.1 miles of 4' The lack of bicycle and High DCHC MPO paved shoulders and a pedestrian infrastructure 2017 CTP; sidewalk or a shared- along US 70 present key Hillsborough use path along US 70 infrastructure gaps for CSP 2030 from Combs Circle to N cyclists and pedestrians. Scotswood Boulevard. 7d Construct 0.2 miles of The lack of bicycle and High DCHC MPO sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure 2017 CTP; along Harold Latta Drive along Harold Latta Road, Hillsborough from Orange High School present key infrastructure CSP 2030 Road to Cloverfield Drive. gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 7e Construct 0.5 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or a shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along Orange High along Orange High School Road from Harold School Road present key Latta Road to Miller Road to infrastructure gaps for fill in infrastructure gaps. cyclists and pedestrians. 7f Construct 0.1 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or a shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along Ann Road to fill along Ann Road present in infrastructure gaps. key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. There is a crosswalk at Orange High School Road and Ann Road with no connecting sidewalks. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 96 99 7g Construct 0.6 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure along Joyce Road to fill in along Ann Road,Joyce infrastructure gaps. Road present key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 7h Construct 0.7 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure along Gwen Road to fill in along Gwen Road present infrastructure gaps. key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 7i Construct 0.5 miles of The lack of bicycle and High Hillsborough sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure CSP 2030 along Rencher Street from from west of Orange Fairview Park to Orange Middle School presents a High School soccer field. barrier to students walking and biking to school. 7j Construct 0.5 miles of a The lack of bicycle and High shared-use path along pedestrian infrastructure Holman Drive from NC 86 from west of Orange to Orange Middle School. Middle School presents a barrier to students walking and biking to school. 7k Construct 0.3 miles of a trail Students are walking to High from Orange Middle School the nearby Walgreens via to Walgreens to promote an informal pedestrian safe travel for students. path through the woods. 71 Add a high visibility The intersection of Orange Medium crosswalk and pedestrian High School Road and US crossing signal to the 70 present key crossing intersection at Orange High issues for pedestrians. School Road and US 70. 7m Add a high visibility The intersection of Gwen Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Road and US 70 present crossing signal to the key crossing issues for intersection at Gwen Road pedestrians. and US 70. 7n Add a high visibility The intersection of N Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Scotswood Boulevard and crossing signal to the US 70 present key crossing intersection at N Scotswood issues for pedestrians. Boulevard and US 70. 7o Add a high visibility The intersection of NC Medium crosswalk and pedestrian 86 and NC 57 present crossing signal to the key crossing issues for intersection at NC 86 and pedestrians. NC 57. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 97 100 7p Add a high visibility The intersection of Orange Medium crosswalk and pedestrian High School Road and crossing signage to the Orange Middle School intersection at Orange High present key crossing issues School Road and Orange for pedestrians. Middle School entrance. 7q Add a high visibility The intersection of Orange Medium crosswalk and pedestrian High School Road and crossing signage to the Harold Latta Road present intersection at Orange High key crossing issues for School Road and Harold pedestrians. Latta Road. 7r Route school traffic along School traffic backs up Medium Holman Road towards the in both directions along back entrance of the school, Orange High School then to the car drop off and Road.Through traffic was pickup line. Exiting traffic observed passing through can then be routed out on the left lane at full speed, Orange High School Road. creating safety concerns. This route provides room Buses must pass in the left for a longer car queue that lane to get past the cars would not cause backups lined up on Orange High on through roads or block School Road and into the bus traffic.Alternately, bus lot. Construct a right-turn lane along Orange High School Road into the school if there is a strong desire to maintain the current travel pattern. 7s Construct a right-turn lane School traffic backs up Medium along Orange High School in both directions along Road into the school if Orange High School there is a strong desire to Road.Through traffic was maintain the current travel observed passing through pattern. the left lane at full speed, creating safety concerns. Buses must pass in the left lane to get past the cars lined up on Orange High School Road and into the bus lot. 7t Add traffic calming The high speeds and high High measures,such as reducing traffic volume along US 70 the speed limit from 45 presents a serious safety mph to 35 mph along US 70 threat for pedestrians and from Miller Road to NC 86. bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 98 101 7u Construct 0.9 miles of The high speeds and Medium 2013 Orange sidewalk or shared-use path traffic volumes and lack County SRTS along one side of NC 86 of bicycle and pedestrian from Governor Burke Road infrastructure along NC to US 70. 86 create barriers to safely walking and biking to school. 7v Construct 0.5 miles of The high speeds and Medium 2013 Orange sidewalk or shared-use traffic volumes and lack County SRTS pathalong one side of NC 57 of bicycle and pedestrian from Governor Burke Road infrastructure along NC to US 70. 57 create barriers to safely walking and biking to school. 7w Add a bicycle rack on There are no bicycle racks Low campus to promote biking on campus. to school. NEW VFW- I ! I I` r Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 99 102 N 7U .rr 7v d eta., ,: Rocky Ln of �o 610,00p � / ShawneeDr " S\wer Foc\C o Red Fox Trl J u n at�OC j Willowbed LnO curd PI 0 7q 7e { ^' se pa`lGaCde�� NaCo\d��tta Dr E Orange Hig�gchool Rd o u ❑ w o > � 86 CD 7h Woodlawn Dr 70 Q a : 7 f CD4, W m D 7W Ann Rd u o 3 Gl °o 7j v �� 75 o a 7r Orange Middle Y" 7p Nancy�pJ o. z meµ, 7 ElWorth .-t A Blvd 7 k F1 a% 7c 9t 7b ¢ n` 70 7m ® Existing School Zone 7n O Recommended Crosswalk and Signage O Recommended Right-Turn Lane Existing Sidewalks z --- Recommended Bicycle Lane - -- Recommended Sidewalk S�Ma�s�a cm --- Recommended Paved Shoulder r' Recommended Path D Recommended School Traffic Route 0 0.1 0.2 Miles �� u• '�_ -W King St �� Figure 4.7:Orange Middle Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 100 103 8 - Orange High School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Orange High. Figure 4.8 shows the recommended projects. Projects 7b-7i, 7k-7o, 7q, 7s-7u have also been identified for Orange High School. Project ID Recommendation Issue Addressed Need MTP Reference 8a Install no parking signs Drivers park on the side High along Orange High School of the road to avoid the Road to deter parents from afternoon car queue,then parking on the side of the make U-turns in the road road during afternoon pick to leave, creating safety up. concerns for students and other drivers. Students walk from the school to these cars,sometimes crossing the road. 8b Construct 0.3 miles of The lack of bicycle and Medium sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure along Governor Drive from in the Cameron Estates Governor Burke Drive to neighborhood presents a Harold Latta Road. barrier to students walking and biking to school. 8c Construct 0.2 miles of The lack of bicycle and Medium sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure along Dairy Farm Drive in the Cameron Estates from NC 57 to Governor neighborhood presents a Drive. barrier to students walking and biking to school. sit SCHOOL dus i. . Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 101 104 Governor Burke Rd \ 4.' \S veCFoXC�C Dr Red Fox Tri n3 - C Fa<� OZ - m "�eOat o a Q C'bard PIS 0 8c '07 Harold Latta Dr i rder�r 8 b ®rahge High° 8a 4 i El EE O M F Y L ,y Existing School Zone ® Recommended No Parking Sign Existing Sidewalks Recommended Sidewalk 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.8:Orange High Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 102 105 9 - Efland Cheeks Global Elementary School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Efland Cheeks Global Elementary. Figure 4.9 shows the recommended projects. Project ID Recommendation Issue Addressed Need MTP Reference 9a Add school zone markings There is limited school High and signage along Fuller zone signage on Fuller Road. Road. 9b Add school zone markings There is limited school High and signage along Tinnin zone signage on Tinnin Road. Road. 9c Add school zone markings There is limited school High and signage along School zone signage on School House Road. House Road. 9d Construct 0.3 miles of Several students and High sidewalk or shared-use parents are walking path along Fuller Road to along Fuller Road with no increase safety for current sidewalks or bike lanes. wa I ke rs. 9e Construct 0.3 miles of Several students and High sidewalk or shared-use path parents are walking along along School House Road to School House Road with increase safety for current no sidewalks or bike lanes. wa I ke rs. 9f Construct 0.3 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure along Tinnin Road to fill in along Tinnin Road key infrastructure gaps. presents key infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 9g Construct 0.5 miles The lack of bicycle and High ofsidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along Richmond Road along Richmond Road key to fill in key infrastructure infrastructure gaps for gaps. cyclists and pedestrians. 9h Construct 1 mile ofsidewalk The lack of bicycle and High or shared-use path pedestrian infrastructure along US 70 to fill in key along US 70 presents key infrastructure gaps. infrastructure gaps for cyclists and pedestrians. 9i Decrease the speed limit The speed limit along High to 35mph to promote safer Richmond Road is 45mph, conditions for pedestrians creating unsafe conditions for pedestrians. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 103 106 9i Add a high visibility The intersection of Fuller Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Road and US 70 presents signage to the intersection a key crossing issue for at Fuller Road and US 70. pedestrians. 9k Add a high visibility The intersection of Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Fuller Road and School crossing sign to the House Road presents a intersection at Fuller Road key crossing issues for and School House Road. pedestrians. 91 Add a high visibility The intersection of Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Richmond Road and the crossing sign to the side entrance to Efland intersection at Richmond Cheeks Global Elementary Road and the school side presents a key crossing entrance. issues for pedestrians. I SCH MI MS HUOLUU --t• Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 104 107 N A Qi Y O O Buckwalter Ln- 'o m Gregg St Alice Miller Gt , 9c ee�w h i FEfland Cheeks Park Efland Cheeks Global v -� '' Elementa I o ge ®99 Imp, DEC Chad S LA 9i 9f o 91 9d Glenw kin 9a gk Fuiler Rd 0 9b At 9h El � A 9j " Sanders Rd n m t C•J N C ® Existing School Zone ® Recommended School Zone Signage Q Recommended Crosswalk and Signage 0 Existing Sidewalks -- Recommended Sidewalk 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.9:Efland Cheeks Global Elementary Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 105 108 10 - Gravelly Hill Middle School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Gravelly Hill Middle. Figure 4.10 shows the recommended projects. Project I D Recommendation Issue Addressed Need MTP Reference 10a Decrease the speed limit W Ten Road presents a High from 45 mph to 35 mph serious safety threat for within the school zone to pedestrians and bicyclists promote safer conditions for because of its high speeds pedestrians and traffic volume. 10b Extend the right-turn lane During the afternoon pick Medium further east. up,vehicles back up past the right-turn lane on W Ten Road. 10C Construct 3.7 miles of The lack of bicycle Medium DCHC MPO 2017 4' paved shoulders or a and pedestrian CTP shared-use path along W infrastructure along W Ten Road from Rock Quarry Ten Road presents a key Road to 1-85 Connector. infrastructure gap for cyclists and pedestrians. 10d Construct 3.7 miles of The lack of bicycle Medium sidewalk or shared-use path and pedestrian along W Ten Road to fill in infrastructure along W key infrastructure gaps. Ten Road presents a key infrastructure gap for cyclists and pedestrians. 10e Convert the existing The intersection at W Ten Low crosswalk to a high visibility Road and Gravelly Hill crosswalk and install Middle entrance presents pedestrian signage at this a key crossing issue for location. pedestrians.The crosswalk at this location often gets blocked by cars exiting and entering the school driveway. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 106 109 r A , t „ar {ly; 4 P` `„ r �- � y Gravelly Hill Mld e .; 4 a e _ 10b 0. lOc 10a - Wesf Ten Rd - --- _ - l0e 10d o a �o Existing School Zone O Recommended Crosswalk and Signage — Existing Sidewalks --- Recommended Sidewalk --- Paved Shoulder JU - Recommended Right-Turn Lane Extension 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.70:Gravelly Hill Middle Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 107 110 11 - Partnership Academy High School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Partnership Academy High. Figure 4.11 shows the recommended projects. Project ID Recommendation Issue Addressed Need IVITP Reference Ila Construct 2 miles of an on- The lack of bicycle and High Hillsborough road bicycle lane or shared- pedestrian infrastructure CSP 2030; DCHC use path along US 70A along US 70A presents a MPO 2017 CTP from S Chu rton Street to key infrastructure gap for Lawrence Road. cyclists and pedestrians. llb Construct 2 miles of The lack of bicycle and High Hillsborough sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure CSP 2030; DCHC path along US 70A from S along US 70A presents a MPO 2017 CTP Churton Street to Lawrence key infrastructure gap for Road. cyclists and pedestrians. llc Construct 0.2 miles The lack of bicycle and High ofsidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along Corporate along Corporate Drive from its terminus to Drive presents a key Meadowlands Drive. infrastructure gap for cyclists and pedestrians. lld Install a high visibility The intersection at Medium crosswalk and pedestrian Corporate Drive and signage at this location. Meadowlands Drive presents a key crossing issue for pedestrians.The traffic along Meadowlands Drive coming from US 70 is free flowing at this intersection. lle Add a bicycle rack on There are no bicycle racks Low campus to promote biking on campus. to school. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 108 111 N ;A m tl� „Q � •,a a l� y r�. Wz r $ F 711 + � w, QUINCY`CO� SAG RD �1 r RCp0 All R 7� . gPartnership Academy'High j < o 11c _ *i 86 �� - � ,,�,. �• �Meadowlands'Dr ,� a \ WE Existing School Zone 0 Recommended Crosswalk and Signage Existing Sidewalksa,5 Recommended Bicycle Lane --- Recommended Sidewalk ', 0 0.05 0 Miles Figure 4.11:Partnership Academy High Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 109 112 12 - River Park Elementary School The following set of recommendations have been developed for River Park Elementary. Figure 4.12 shows the recommended projects. Recommendation --. MTP Reference 12a Install a HAWK signal to The existing crosswalk on High the existing crosswalk St Marys Road in front of to increase pedestrian River Park Elementary is visibility and safety of located next to the left-turn students crossing. lane out of the school and experiences safety concerns, including vehicles blocking the crosswalk and limited line of sight for vehicles. 12b Disallow left turns out The existing crosswalk on St High of the school during the Marys Road in front of River drop off and pick up Park Elementary is located periods. next to the left-turn lane out of the school and experiences safety concerns, including vehicles turning left out of River Park Elementary while families are crossing the crosswalk. 12c Realign the skewed St Marys Road, Cameron Medium intersection to create Street, and E King Street better sight distance for meet at a stop sign-controlled vehicles and visibility for skewed intersection. Due to pedestrians. the unusual geometry of this intersection, is very difficult for pedestrians to cross. 12d Realign St Marys Road, St Marys Road exhibits Medium particularly the curve irregular geometry and west of River Park blind curves that limits sight Elementary,to create distance for vehicles and safer conditions for visibility for pedestrians. vehicles and pedestrians. 12e Install a high visibility The intersection at St Marys Medium crosswalk and HAWK Road and E Tryon Road signal across St Marys presents a key crossing issue Road at its intersection for pedestrians. with E Tryon Street. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 110 113 12f Construct 0.5 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along St Marys Road along St Marys Road presents from Cameron Street a key infrastructure gap for to east of River Park cyclists and pedestrians. Elementary. 12g Construct 1.1 miles of a The lack of bicycle and High buffered bicycle lane or pedestrian infrastructure shared-use path along along St Marys Road presents St Marys Road from a key infrastructure gap for Cameron Street to US 70. cyclists and pedestrians. 12h Construct 0.2 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along Lydia Lane along Lydia Lane presents from Caine Street to St a key infrastructure gap for Marys Road. cyclists and pedestrians. 12i Construct 0.3 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along E Queen along E Queen Street Street from N Churton presents a key infrastructure Street to Lydia Lane. gap for cyclists and pedestrians. 12j Construct 0.2 miles of The lack of bicycle and High sidewalk or shared-use pedestrian infrastructure path along N Cameron along Cameron Street Street from E Queen presents a key infrastructure Street to E King Street. gap for cyclists and pedestrians. 12k Construct 0.2 miles of The areas to the east, High greenway from Cameron south, and west of River Street to the east through Park Elementary are undeveloped land to the underdeveloped and southern side of River underutilized for bicycle and Park Elementary. pedestrian infrastructure. 121 Implement traffic There are multiple roadways Medium calming measures,such in the area that pose safety as speed humps along barriers for elementary student Queen Street. pedestrians and bicyclists. 12m Implement traffic There are multiple roadways Medium calming measures,such in the area that pose safety as speed humps along barriers for elementary Cameron Street. student pedestrians and bicyclists. 12n Implement traffic There are multiple roadways Medium calming measures,such in the area that pose safety as raising the existing barriers for elementary crosswalk on St Marys student pedestrians and Road. bicyclists. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 111 114 dig AA N rr� ey'ti,� i ' , LU LU 70 m BRIDGE ST Caine St , 12h N � 4 C J z o• 12f a� E Queen� S a�ffi 12i ' 12b S�MaN 12g 12a' 12n 12i r E Tryon St 12e, 12m A d River Park Elementary Jw _ E King�St- ' 12c - a 712k ek: _ 2", ® Existing School Zone Recommended Crossing and Signage Q Recommended No Left-Turn LD Recommended Speed Hump Existing Sidewalks a --- Recommended Bicycle Lane Recommended Sidewalk Recommended Greenway - 0 0.05 0.1 Miles Figure 4.72:River Park Elementary Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 112 115 13 - Pathways Elementary School The following set of recommendations have been developed for Pathways Elementary. Figure 4.13 shows the recommended projects. Recommendation 13a Implement traffic calming Traffic travels faster than High measures,such as speed the posted speed limit cushions along Strouds of25 mph along Strouds Creek Road. Creek Road. 13b Install a high visibility The intersection of Strouds High crosswalk and pedestrian Creek Road and the signage at the intersection school's eastern driveway of Strouds Creek Road presents a key crossing and the school's eastern issue for pedestrians. driveway to provide awareness to vehicles and safer crossing for pedestrians at this location. 13c Construct 0.1 miles of There is no on-campus High sidewalk or shared-use sidewalk connecting from path from the existing the existing sidewalk on sidewalk to the main school Strouds Creek Road to the entrance. school. 13d Construct 13.7 miles of Traffic is significant, and Medium TARPO 2015 sidewalk or shared-use path speeds are high along the Bicycle and along NC 57 from NC 86 to primary route to school, Pedestrian the Orange County line. NC 57. Planning Framework; Orange County 2013 CTP Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 113 116 nN /V G oa�l Pathways Ele�menta,ry 13b Strouds Creek 13a 13c Rd i 57) S; -I 13d 40 ITT F,p O,Q ® Existing School Zone Q Recommended Crosswalk and Signage Recommended Speed Cushion Existing Sidewalks -- Recommended Sidewalk V 0 0.05 0.1 Miles .-igure 4.73:Pathways Elementary Recommendations Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 114 117 S. Program Recommendations In addition to the infrastructure recommendations described in the previous chapter, programming recommendations are also necessary to encourage and improve safety for students walking and biking to school.The following section describes non-infrastructure recommendations to promote safer active transportation to school. Promote School Bus Usage Schools should promote school bus usage as a safe and reliable mode of transportation to school. School buses are designed with specific safety features that make them one of the safest forms of transportation for students, including bright colors,flashing lights, and specialized training for drivers. The high volume of personal vehicles during school drop off and pick up increases the risk of accidents around schools. By promoting school bus usage, schools can mitigate this risk and create a safer environment for children walking or biking to school. School buses generally have their own entrance and parking lot at the school to further separate them from the high volume of personal vehicles. One of the main drawbacks to students traveling by school bus is that travel time can be significantly longer than those traveling by car.To further encourage school bus usage, schools should evaluate their bus routes to ensure routes are as efficient as possible. By doing so, it will reduce the average travel time to school and the amount of time spent on the bus, making it a more viable alternative. Schools should regularly educate students and parents about the importance of school bus safety. Programs that teach students proper bus safety—such as remaining seated, listening to the driver, and safely boarding and exiting—can reinforce the message that school buses are a secure and reliable form of transportation. Walking School Bus A walking school bus is an organized, group-based way for students to walk to school safely under adult supervision.Typically, one or more parents supervise the group of students along the route to school.The group follows a set route with scheduled stops, much like a traditional school bus route,where children can join or leave the group. A walking school bus promotes safety and comfortability with walking to school,while promoting health benefits. Students will learn safe walking practices, such as staying alert to surroundings, obeying traffic signals, and using crosswalks. Walking in a group allows children to be more visible to drivers, reducing the risk of traffic accidents. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 115 118 Schools should evaluate the desire for a walking school bus program by reaching out to parents and staff.Then a potential route can be identified that is safe for walking and has minimal traffic hazards. By walking together under the guidance of adults, a walking school bus provides a safe alternative to traditional school transportation. Safety Education Programs Safety education programs are a critical component of a SRTS plan.They equip students, parents, and staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to travel safely to and from school, whether by walking, biking, or driving. Pedestrian safety education should teach students the basics of safe walking practices,focusing on how to navigate streets, cross intersections, and recognize traffic signals. Schools should utilize classroom time, interactive games, or mock simulations to help children learn and practice these skills. Bicycle safety education should ensure students understand the rules of the road for cyclists and how to properly use their bikes. Education topics should include helmet usage, hand signals, inspecting brakes, tires, and chain, and understanding the blind spots of cars and buses. Schools should utilize classroom time and bike rodeos to teach students these skills. Driver safety education should educate drivers, including parents, staff, and community members, about how to drive safely around schools, pedestrians, and cyclists. Education topics should include reducing speed in school zones,yielding to pedestrians, stopping for school buses, and awareness of children's behaviors. Schools should work with local police or safety organization to post informational flyers, host community safety talks, and address key issues. Walking and Biking Incentive Programs Schools should encourage students to walk or bike to school by offering rewards, recognitions, and fun activities.These programs help foster a culture of active transportation while promoting physical activity, reducing traffic congestions, and increasing safety around schools. Schools should host monthly Walk or Bike to School Days where students are invited to walk or bike to school. On these days, schools can create a festive atmosphere by setting up tables and handing out snacks and badges for participation. Walking and biking contests can also be used to motive students to walk or bike to school more frequently. Schools should design competitions between classrooms or grades to track the number of trips walked and biked.Those with the highest numbers can then be awarded with trophies or special parties. Alternatively,the school can set a collective goal for all students and then reward all students with a special party once the goal has been achieved. Walking and biking incentive programs provide many health and safety benefits for students. Regular physical activity improves overall health and enhance mental well-being. When more students walk and bike to school, neighborhoods become more walkable and safer with less vehicular traffic.Through fun and engaging activities, these incentive programs help create a more active and safer school community. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 116 119 6. Funding Funding is a crucial part of any SRTS program, as it enables schools and communities to implement infrastructure improvements, education programs, and initiatives that promote safe travel for students. This section describes potential funding sources for the project and program recommendations described in this report. Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP):The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) administers the HSIP.This program provides funding for projects that reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on public roads. HSIP requires states to use crash data to identify hazardous locations and key safety needs. Funds are allocated based on measurable outcomes like the reduction of fatalities or injuries. HSIP funds can be used to target areas around schools where pedestrian and cyclist traffic is high and where safety hazards like speeding, unsafe walking and biking conditions, and unsafe intersections exist. Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Program: FHWA's STBG Program provides funding for projects that improve transportation safety, efficiency, and accessibility.These funds can be used for a variety of transportation projects, including constructing sidewalks and bike lanes, intersection improvements,turn lanes,traffic calming measures, and other pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements near schools. STBG funds can also be used for non-infrastructure projects such as planning and education efforts that promote transportation safety. Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program: FHWA's SS4A Program provides funding for projects that enhance road safety for all users and reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities. Funds may be used for infrastructure improvements, safety plans, and safety assessments. Carbon Reduction Program: FHWA's Carbon Reduction Program provide funding for projects that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable transportation options. Funding can be leveraged for SRTS projects that create more sustainable and low-emission transportation options. Carbon Reduction funds can be used for infrastructure improvements, as well as educational programs and incentives. North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Safe Routes to School Program: NCDOT provides funding, technical assistance, and resources for communities to plan and implement SRTS projects. SRTS funding may be used for infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects that create safer routes, reduce traffic congestion, and encourage safe and active transportation to school. Matching local funds are often required with SRTS grants. School District Budget: Schools can allocate a portion of their budget to support SRTS programs and infrastructure improvements. Funds may be used for installing bike racks, purchasing safety gears, or developing educational materials about pedestrian and cycling safety. School districts should establish a dedicated line item in the budget specifically for SRTS programs to ensure that funds are set aside for related activities and infrastructure. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 117 120 7. Implementation Successful implementation of the SRTS plan requires careful planning, coordination, and ongoing management to ensure that the proposed improvements and programs are effectively carried out.This section describes the near-term and long-term actions that are needed to implement the recommendations outlined in this plan. Plan Adoption:The first step in implementing the SRTS plan is to formally adopt the plan by relevant authorities. Orange County should present the plan to the Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) for initial approval and adoption. Once OUTBoard adoption has been achieved, the plan should be adopted by the County Commissioners for County adoption.The SRTS plan should finally be presented for adoption by the DCHC MPO and the Town of Hillsborough. Transportation Plan Updates: Orange County and DCHC MPO should add the project recommendations to their Comprehensive Transportation Plan at the next update.The Town of Hillsborough should add the project recommendations to their Comprehensive Sustainability Plan at its next update. Establish a SRTS Champion: A SRTS Champion should be selected to facilitate implementation of the plan.This individual will be responsible for coordinating efforts, maintaining momentum, and ensuring long-term sustainability for the plan.The SRTS Champion coordinates and leads the SRTS meetings, builds partnerships, oversees the implementation of projects and programs, advocates for safety improvements, and engages the community.The SRTS Champion should have a passion for student safety and active transportation alternatives, possess strong leadership skills, be an effective communicator, and have the capacity for long-term commitment. Form SRTS Steering Committee: Once a SRTS Champion has been selected, a steering committee should be formed to oversee the implementation process. Committee members should be comprised of school administrations, local government officials, parents, students,teachers, and planners. Roles and responsibilities for committee members includes overseeing specific tasks, coordinating with stakeholders, creating a timeline for project and program recommendations, and developing a detailed budget for the costs. Engagement:The SRTS Steering Committee should work to involve parents, students, community leaders, and staff in engagement activities to gain and maintain support for SRTS initiatives. Engagement activities may include promoting SRTS activities on social media, school newsletters, and at community meetings. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 118 121 Funding: A funding plan should bed eve loped that includes grants to pursue, responsible party for grant writing, and timeline. Once this has been developed,the County can allocate budget to SRTS projects, as well as apply for funding through various federal and state programs. Evaluation: Metrics should be established to track the progress of implementation efforts, including monitoring the completion of infrastructure improvements, participation in educational programs, and changes in overall safety.These metrics will help assess the success of different approaches and identify areas for improvement. Based on the findings, make necessary adjustments and updates to the plan on a periodic basis. a .. `WIN 07 ,.�, 3,- Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 119 122 S. Resources American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 4th Edition.2012. Retrieved from https://nidotlocalaidre.com/perch/resources/ aashto-gbf-4-2012-bicycle.pdf Greene Transportation Solutions & Greenways Incorporated. Safe Routes to School Strategic Action Plan for Orange County, North Carolina. 2013. Retrieved from https://www.orangecountync.gov/ DocumentCenter/View/4119/Adopted-Safe-Routes-to-School-SRTS-Plan-large-fi le-PDF North Carolina Department of Transportation and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization. 2017 Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization Comprehensive Transportation Plan.Adopted November 2017. Retrieved from https://connect. ncdot.gov/projects/planning/Pages/CTP-Details.aspx?study_id=Durham-Chapel%20Hill-Carrboro North Carolina Department of Transportation. NCDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Mapping Application [map]. Last updated November 9, 2023. https://www.arcais.com/apps/ webappviewer/index.html?id=964881960f0549de8c3583bf46ef5ed4 (accessed June 12, 2024). North Carolina Department of Transportation. Orange County Comprehensive Transportation Plan.Adopted October 2013. Retrieved from https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/TPBCTP/ Ora nge%20County/Ora ngeCo_Report.pdf Town of Hillsborough. Comprehensive Sustainability Plan (2030).Adopted June 2023. Retrieved from https://assets.hillsboroughnc.goy/media/documents/public%omprehensive-sustainability- plan-full-plan.pdf North Carolina State University Institute for Transportation Research and Education. Operations Research and Education Laboratory. "Orange County Schools Out-of-Capacity Table". October 26, 2023. Triangle J Council of Governments.Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Framework.Adopted August 2015. Retrieved from https://centralpinesrpo.org/ wp-content/uploads/2024/01/TAR PO-Bicycle-Pedestrian-Framework-2015.pdf Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 120 123 9. Appendix Email Correspondence With Outreach Participants Dear Mr. Trivedi, Thank you for all your work at our Town and County level as Transportation Services Director. I attended the last council meeting that discussed "Safe Routes to School" and was impressed by everything your department is planing to do about the safety of student walkers to and from Cedar Ridge High School. I just wanted to comment on what I think can be done immediately to improve traffic and a particular issue in front of the school.There is a turn lane in front of Cedar Ridge and Grady Brown Elementary School. Some kids cross Grady Brown School Road while traffic is "intense" during drop off and pick up.At the same time, cars are turning in and out of Cedar Ridge High School onto Grady Brown Road.The traffic as you may know is erratic and many cars thatjust want to drive through (not picking anyone from the schools) speed straight through heading west on Grady Brown road. I have noticed that the reason these cars can speed through, is because they can get onto the turning lane and avoid the slow cars or stopped traffic turning into Cedar Ridge. My thought, is to simply cut that turning lane short (even blocking it with cones) so that cars don't get onto it to continue to go (speed) through going west on Grady Brown Road. I think this can improve the traffic issues in three very distinctive ways: 1. Can increase the safety of kids crossing the street between the two schools. As it would reduce speeds and improve visibility for cars to notice kids crossing. Or to simply slow down! 2. Improve the visibility of cars as people are exiting from Cedar Ridge onto Grady Brown as the turn east onto it. It is very hard to turn left as you exit Cedar Ridge because it is hard to see the incoming traffic. Specially when cars get on the median turning lane and are blocked by the incoming traffic that is turning into the school. 3. Slow down overall traffic and reduce some of the erratic driving that occurs. Specially, deterring people from doing U-turns on the median turning lane. Coincidentally, today I saw a patrol car with their lights on exactly where I'm suggesting we cut the turning median lane short, and the police officer didn't even have to direct traffic. He was inside the patrol car! Please see attached for an arial pictured with marked suggested block highlighted in red. Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 121 124 Thanks again for your time. I'm sure that your department has looked into this in much better traffic best practices than I have. But I hope my testimony can help your efforts at the very least help your efforts in one way or another. P.S.: One more thing while I'm at it, putting no parking (or not drop offs) signs on Grady Brown in front of Cedar Ridge would be helpful. New Grad Bro S.hoo or M' ��► -+3 Once again, thank you for your time. Luis Hernandez Hillsborough Resident Safe Routes to School Orange County,North Carolina 122 N O N 0-1 OR W O. CAROLINA m W O Z