HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-02-2004-5iORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: June 2, 2004
Action Agenda
Item No. ~~
SUBJECT: Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update for Orange County
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Draft Letter to Scott Walston, NCDOT
2. Letter from Pat Strong, TJGOG Rural Trans, Planner
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Craig Benedict, ext, 2592
Karen Lincoln, ext. 2594
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane (336)227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider asking the Transportation Planning Branch of the North Carolina
Department of Transportation (NCUOT) to conduct the comprehensive update for an Orange
County Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
BACKGROUND: Orange County is currently in the process of updating the land use element of
the comprehensive plan and it is desirable to develop the complementary transportation plan in a
similar timeframe, NCDOT prepared the mast recent thoroughfare plan report for Orange County
in 1990.
NCDOT's Triangle Planning Unit Supervisor is identifying and prioritizing that unit's work activities
for Fiscal Year 2005. The attached letter is a request to NCDOT to conduct the comprehensive
update for the Orange County Comprehensive Transportation Plan in Fiscal Year 2005.
The North Carolina General Assembly, in 2001, updated and modified the process for development
of coordinated transportation plans considerate of all transportation modes, but not limited to the
street system, transit alternatives, bicycle, pedestrian, and operating strategies. The legislation
provides that counties may develop a transportation plan with the cooperation of NCDOT using the
same criteria for municipalities for portions of the county not included in a Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO). (The MPO is responsible for comprehensive transportation plans for portions
of the county within an MPO.) NCDOT may participate in the development of a comprehensive
transportation plan (CTP) for a jurisdiction that has adopted a land use plan within the previous five
(5) years, or is in the process of developing a land use plan; however, NCDOT may not adopt the
CTP until the jurisdiction adopts a local land development plan,
NCDOT is in the process of developing new standards for developing a comprehensive
transportation plan far mutual adoption by NC Department of Transportation and Metropolitan
Planning Organizations and local governments not within an MPO. The product, the
comprehensive transportation plan, will be a series of five maps (adoption sheet -overall plan,
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highway map, public transportaticn and rail map, bicycle map, and pedestrian map) depicting the
transportation infrastructure needed to handle the area's travel demand for a minimum 20 year
period.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with this decision item..
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Administration recommends that the Board authorize the Chair to
sign the letter asking NCDOT to conduct the comprehensive update for the Orange County
Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
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Mr, Scott Walston, P,E.
Triangle Planning Supervisor
Transportation Planning Branch
North Carolina Department of Transportation
1554 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1554
Dear Mr. Walston:
On behalf of Orange County, I invite the North Carolina Department of
Transportation to participate in the development of a comprehensive
transportation plan to complement the update, now in progress, of the Land Use
Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Director
anticipates completion and adoption of the land use element in Fiscal Year 2004-
2005,
I request that you include the technical studies for the Comprehensive
Transportation Plan for Orange County in your Triangle Planning Unit budget far
Fiscal Year 2005.
Orange County appreciates the opportunity to work with the Department of
Transportation in preparing the comprehensive transportation plan for the county,
Thank you for you assistance,
Sincerely,
Barry .lacobs, Chair
Orange County Board of County Commissioners
cc: Pat Strong, TJCOG Rural Transportation Planner
Mike Mills, NCDOT Division 7 Engineer
G, N, Edwards, NCDOT District Engineer
John Link, County Manager
Craig Benedict, Planning Director
Karen Lincoln, Transportation Planner
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Mr. John Link,
Orange County
PO Box 8181
Hillsborough, N
Dear Ivh•. L.inlc
°TF~IAi~G~~ J C®UNCIL ®F G®V~RNII~ENTS
4222 Emperor Boulevard ~ Durham, NC 27703
Mailing Address: Pd. Box 12276
Research Triangle Park, NC ZJ709
April 16, 2004 919 549 0551 vnx 919.549 9390
County Manager
orth Carolina 27278-8181
SUBJECT: Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update for Orange County
I have recently been contacted by the North Carolina Department of'Transportation's Triangle Planning
Unit Supervisor; Mr. Scott Walston, concerning the need for comprehensive transportation and
thoroughfare plan updates. Mr Walston is currently identifying and prioritizing his Unit's work
activities for Fiscal Year 2005.
It will remain the responsibility of the NCDOT's Transportation Planning Branch to conduct the
comprehensive updates for county thoroughfare plans. The most recent thoroughfare plan report for
Orange County was published in 1990.. Any prospective update of this plan and its associated
thoroughfare plan map will require the muhral approval of the NCDOT and Orange County.. Should you
desire the NCDOT's consideration for an update of this plan to begin during Fiscal Year 2005, it is
recommended that you infornz Mr. Walston of your specific interest in writing.
Please remember that a comprehensive transportation plan for Orange County will be a separate
requirement from the long-range transportation plan for the Triangle Area Rura] Planning Organization
Region. -this latter item will be a twenty-five year, multi-modal plan for the four county RPO region. it
will be developed from the available county transportation and thoroughfare plans and fronT other
pertinent resources..
For your ready reference, Mr Walston's address is as follows: Scott Walston, P E ,Triangle Planning
Supervisor, Transportation Planning Branch, NCDOT, 1554 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North
Carolina, 27699-1554. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions conceling this matter
(telephone 919-558-940Z).
Sincerely,
Pat Strong, PE
Rural Transportation Planner
Cc Mr. Craig Benedict
,GMs Karen Lincoln
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