AGENDA #4c
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration of Opening Northfield Drive to Full Vehicular Access
DATE: March 6, 2006
PURPOSE
Adoption of the attached resolution would authorize the Town Manager to open Northfield Drive to full vehicular access to and from the Chapel Ridge Apartments complex. This action would be effective at such time as the traffic signal is operational at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northfield Drive. Please see the area map provided in Attachment 1.
We recommend adoption of the attached resolution.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In 2000, the Town Council approved a Special Use Permit (SUP) for Chapel Ridge Apartments. The Council approved the SUP with the following stipulation regarding pedestrian improvements on Airport Road (renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard):
Airport Road Pedestrian Improvements: That the applicant shall seek approval of (a) some type of median, (b) a center refuge island, or (c) a pedestrian crossing light from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the Town Manager, and shall pay for such improvement if approved. If NCDOT does not provide approval by the time the first Certificate of Occupancy is ready to be issued, then the applicant shall post a payment-of-lieu with the Town in an amount approved by the Town Manager to meet the cost of (a), (b), or (c) above, whichever is greater. If NCDOT later approves, installation shall be arranged by the Town using the payment-in-lieu. If NCDOT does not approve one of these alternatives within five years after issuance of the last Certificate of Occupancy, then the applicant shall have no responsibility to pay for the improvements and the payment-in-lieu would be returned to the applicant.
As stipulated in the Special Use Permit, the applicant provided a payment-in-lieu ($50,000) for installation of a median, a refuge island, or a pedestrian signal at the subject intersection. In 2005, the State approved a traffic signal at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northfield Drive. The Town transferred the payment-in-lieu funds to the State and the traffic signal is now under construction at this intersection, including pedestrian crosswalk and pedestrian signal amenities, as shown in Attachment 2.
The Council also approved the SUP with the following stipulation regarding vehicular access to and from the Chapel Ridge Apartment complex using Northfield Drive:
Northfield Drive: That the applicant shall dedicate a minimum of a 50-foot right-of-way and construct Northfield Drive to the western edge of the site. Any necessary off-site construction shall be completed as part of this development to ensure that vehicular traffic may access the site from Airport Road. Access between Northfield Drive and this development shall be limited to emergency access only, until such time as the Town Council approves measures to address the safety of turning movements along Airport Road and permits access for other than emergency purposes. Such changes shall not require a Special Use Permit Modification.
Currently, Northfield Drive allows access only to local traffic and emergency vehicles. Access to and from the Chapel Ridge Apartment complex is not permitted. We believe that the traffic signal under construction at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at Northfield Drive will provide for the safety of turning and pedestrian movements at the intersection, as stipulated by the Council.
Therefore, we recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution that would authorize the Town Manager to open Northfield Drive to full vehicular access to and from the Chapel Ridge Apartments complex at such time as the traffic signal is fully operational at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northfield Drive. If the Council approves this recommendation, we will coordinate the opening of Northfield Drive with the operation of the traffic signal.
Based on our discussions with State staff, construction of the traffic signal is expected to be completed by the end of March.
RECOMMENDATION
The Manager recommends adoption of the attached resolution that would authorize the Town Manager to open the Northfield Drive to full vehicular access to and from the Chapel Ridge Apartments complex at such time that the traffic signal is fully operational at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northfield Drive.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Area Map (p. 4).
2. Traffic Signal Design Plan (p. 5).
