Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-20-2003-5bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 20, 2003 Action Age Item No. SUBJECT: Orange County Secondary Road Improvement Policy DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: 1. Resolution Establishing County Policy Regarding Secondary Road Improvement 2. BOT Rating Sheet for Unpaved Secondary Roads 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 adopting a policy for recommending secondary roads to be paved in the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) proposed Secondary Road Improvement Program. BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Board of Transportation annually adopts a Secondary Road Improvement Program that determines which unpaved secondary roads in the County will be improved and paved in the next fiscal year. NCDOT ranks all unpaved secondary roads according to land use and public service characteristics, traffic characteristics, and general route characteristics as described on the attached Board of Transportation Rating Sheet for Unpaved Secondary Roads Rural. NCDOT proposes approximately 8 - 10 miles of roadway each year, depending on funding, to be paved according to the rank. As part of the paving program, NCDOT makes improvements to the road to address problems with alignment, sight distance and drainage. Even if a road is top priority for paving, that road may not be paved if NCDOT cannot obtain the right-of-way along all property adjacent to the road. If such a situation exists along a road where it is in the County's interest for the road to be paved, the Board may recommend that such roads be placed, or remain, on the proposed program, and that NCDOT continue to pursue obtaining the rights-of-way. The attached Resolution Concerning Orange County's Policy on Secondary Road Improvement specifies conditions under which the County would promote paving a secondary road where NCDOT has problems obtaining right-of-way or where a countywide transportation system is being enhanced to support general public safety. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Administration recommends that the Board consider adopting the Policy on Secondary Road Improvement. 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING ORANGE COUNTY'S POLICY REGARDING SECONDARY ROAD IMPROVEMENT WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) administers the State Secondary Road Construction Program to pave unpaved secondary roads and improve conditions for safe mobility on those roads; and WHEREAS, The Orange County Board of County Commissioners recognizes that maintaining mobility throughout the County is vital to public safety; and WHEREAS, public service providers such as Emergency Management, volunteer fire departments, and the Sheriff's Department need safe road connections throughout the County to respond to emergency situations in a and municipal and conditions and timely manner; WHEREAS, Orange County is committed to the safe transport of school children via school buses traveling on secondary roads through the County; and WHEREAS, Orange County has established aCounty-specific road classification system in the Land Use Element of fhe Orange County Comprehensive Plan that defines arterial and collector roads as more important in terms of carrying major traffic volumes or in making connections between major destinations; and WHEREAS, public roads throughout the County, whether paved or unpaved, are intended for the purpose of providing safe and adequate transportation routes for all citizens and businesses; and WHEREAS, public roads are accessible, and intended for the safe enjoyment of the general public and their service agencies with expectations of a NCDOT standard paved road supported by countywide tax dollars; and WHEREAS, it is the County's interest to promote public safety on secondary roads; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners that the Board will promote paving a secondary road in Orange County, even though adjacent residents may not be supportive, that meets both of the following conditions: 1. Paving the road and making the associated improvements address a safety deficiency identified by users of the road. 2. The road serves an important transportation connectivity function and is designated as an arterial or collector road in the Land Use Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan. 3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board will support means to advance such projects to obtain needed right-of-way through provisions given in G.S. 136-44.7(c) with the use of developer fees. In such cases, all affected property owners will be given advance notice of potential improvement of the road with opportunity to comment prior to the vote by the Board of County Commissioners. Upon motion of Commissioner ,seconded by Commissioner the foregoing resolution was adopted this the day of , 2003. I, Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners for the County of Orange, North Carolina, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true copy of so much of the proceedings of said Board at a meeting held on May 20, 2003 as relates in any way to the adoption of the foregoing and that said proceedings are recorded in the minutes of said Board. WITNESS my hand and the seal of said County, this day of , 2003. Clerk to the Board of Commissioners BOARD OF TRANSPORTATION RATING SHEET FOR UNPAVED SECONDARY ROADS RURAL 4 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS 1993- COUNTY SR No. From Road No. to Road No. Length (Miles) Local Name I. LAND USE AND PUBLIC SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS 1. Homes (6 pts. per home - seasonal homes 3 pts.) ........ 2. Schools (10 pts. per school) ........................... 3. Churches (10 pts. per church) .......................... 4. Businesses (10 pts. per business) ...................... 5. Industries (10 pts. per industry) ...................... 6. Recreational Facilities (Public and/or Non-Profit) (5 pts. per facility) .................................. 7. Sub-Total .............................................. 8. Sub-Total divided by a length of not less than one mile ....................................................... II. TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS 9. School Bus Route (10 Pts.) ............................. 10. Average Annual 24-Hour Traffic Volume .................. 11. TOTAL .......................................................... III. GENERAL ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS 12. The value of the road as a County Thoroughfare Route (10 pts.) ............................................... 13. TOTAL RATING (Item 8 + Ztem 11 + Item 12) .....................