to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
from: J.B. Culpepper, Director of Planning
David Bonk, Long Range and Transportation Manager
subject: Draft Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro 2011-2017 Regional Transportation Priority List
date: January 12, 2009
Adoption of the attached resolution would provide the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee (DCHC TAC) with comments on the Draft 2011-2017 DCHC Regional Transportation Project Priority List.
On September 22, 2008, the Council held a public forum to receive public comment on the development of the Town’s 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. The Council adopted a priority list on October 20, 2008 and forwarded the list to the DCHC for their use in developing the Draft 2011-2017 Regional Priority List (Attachment 1).
The DCHC Urban Area includes portions of three different Highway Divisions, which are used by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to allocate transportation funding. We have included the composite Regional List that shows projects from all jurisdictions within the Urban Area.
The final Regional Priority List will be used to develop the 2011-2017 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP). The Priority List will also be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for their use in preparing a draft 2011-2017 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
PROCESS
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is required by Federal transportation regulations to include projects that are anticipated to use federal and state transportation funds. Federal rules require that development of the TIP be a cooperative process between the State Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Federal rules require that each MPO adopt a TIP that includes projects to be undertaken within the Organization’s Urban Area boundaries. The STIP should include all transportation projects within the state, including those in individual Metropolitan Urban Areas.
Federal rules mandate that Metropolitan and State Transportation Programs include exactly the same projects, budgets and project schedules. The Transportation Improvement Program Development Process chart illustrates the process the Metropolitan Area and the State follow in developing the final TIP. At this point the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) is preparing to adopt a Regional Priority List. The List will be used in negotiations with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to prepare draft Metropolitan and State TIPs.
The draft 2011-2017 Regional Priority List includes projects that have been partially funded or are being proposed for new funding. Chapel Hill has several projects fully or partially funded in the adopted 2009-2015 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program.
Table 1: Currently Programmed Projects, 2009-2015 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program.
|
Project |
Project Schedule (as of 6/11/2008) |
|
Homestead Road (from High School Road to NC86) |
Future Years |
|
Estes Drive (from Greensboro Street to NC86) “Urban Project” |
Future Years |
|
Weaver Dairy Road (from NC86 to US 15-501) |
Construction, FY2010 |
|
Old Durham-Chapel Hill Road from NC54 to Garrett Road: Bikelanes and sidewalks |
Construction, FY2009 |
|
Seawell School Road Bicycle Improvements (from Homestead Road to Estes Drive) |
Future Years |
|
US 15-501/Erwin Road. Intersection Improvement |
Under Construction |
|
US 15-501 from Franklin Street in Chapel Hill to US-501 Bypass in Durham. Major corridor upgrade |
Future Years |
|
Estes Drive (from Greensboro Street to Seawell School Road) Add paved shoulders to accommodate bicycles |
Under Construction |
Table 2 compares the priority ranking of transportation projects in the Town’s 2011-2017 Priority List and the draft Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization 2011-2017 Regional Transportation Priority List. The Regional Priority List was developed using a project ranking methodology, also referred to as the Ranking Methodology for Priority Project Requests. This method, which was approved by the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), assigns points to projects in three different categories: Bicycle-Pedestrian, Highway, and Transit. As noted on page 4, under Bicycle and Pedestrian, 1. Traffic Volume, Average Annual Daily Traffic Counts (AADT) are used to determine roadway usage. We believe Volume over Capacity (V/C) better serves the purpose for this category as V/C incorporates such dynamics as roadway lane widths and not just traffic counts.
Table 2: Comparison of 2011-2017 Chapel Hill Transportation Priority List and Draft Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization 2011-2017Regional Priority List
|
Adopted 2011-2017 Chapel Hill Priority List (In Order of Priority) Adopted October 2008 Projects in BOLD are new projects added to last year’s 2009-2015 Town Priority List |
Priority in Draft DCHC 2011-2017 Regional Priority List |
Notes |
|
1. Transit Capital Projects: (FY 2007-2011) |
64 projects identified from transit providers |
Town transit projects include construction of Park and Ride Lots, expansion and replacement buses and support vehicles and “Preventative Maintenance and Routine Capital Items” |
|
2. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/NC 86 Corridor: I-40 to North Street- Bicycle and pedestrian improvements |
#1. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
3. Bolin Creek Greenway: Construct a greenway from Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to Umstead Park |
#15. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
4. Homestead Road: NC 86 to High School Road, provide bicycle lanes, sidewalks and turn lanes |
#38. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
Project shared between the Town and Town of Carrboro. Project has been identified on the Town of Carrboro 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. The Town of Carrboro has requested this area be studied. |
|
5. Townwide Intersection Improvements: Safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists in 15 locations, as identified in 2006 Townwide pedestrian safety evaluation, and NC54/South Columbia Street, NC54/Fordham Boulevard, and Merritt Mill Road/Brewer Street/Main Street |
#11. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
The Merritt Mill Road/Brewer Street/Main Street intersection is also identified on the Town of Carrboro 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. The Town of Carrboro has requested this area be studied. This project identifies 18 other intersections for improvement. |
|
6. Pedestrian and Bicycle Overpass/Underpass Across Fordham Boulevard: Construct a pedestrian and bicycle overpass or underpass across Fordham Boulevard in the area between Manning Drive and Old Mason Farm Road |
#13. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
7. Morgan Creek Phase II: Construct a greenway from the end of Phase I to Carrboro Town line |
#24. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
New project that was added to the Town’s 2011-2017 priority list |
|
8. Estes Drive Extension: Construct sidewalks and five foot bicycle lanes |
#17. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
New project that was added to the Town’s 2011-2017 priority list. Project shared between the Town and Town of Carrboro. Project has been identified on the Town of Carrboro 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. |
|
9. Seawell School Road: Improvements from Homestead Road to Estes Drive Extension, including turn lanes, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and transit accommodations |
#35. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
Project shared between the Town and Town of Carrboro. Project has been identified on the Town of Carrboro 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. |
|
10. Cleland Drive/Burning Tree Drive: Construct sidewalks and pedestrian improvements along Cleland Drive and Burning Tree Drive |
#46. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
New project that was added to the Town’s 2011-2017 priority list |
|
11. Pope Road: Construct sidewalks and five foot bicycle lanes |
#41. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
In previous years on priority lists, the project had been coupled with the Ephesus Church Road project. The Council decided to separate the two projects on the Town 2011-2017 priority list. |
|
12. Ephesus Church Road: Construct sidewalks and five foot bicycle lanes |
#4. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
Project shared between the Town and City of Durham. Project has been identified on the City of Durham 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. |
|
13. Fordham Boulevard: Construct sidewalk from Ephesus Church Road to Elliott Road |
#22. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
14. Culbreth Road: Construct sidewalk from Adam Way to Smith Level Road |
#27. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
Town of Carrboro to fund their portion of project. The Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro are working with NCDOT to finalize design plans. |
|
15. Barbee Chapel Road: NC 54 to Downing Creek Parkway, provide sidewalks and bicycle lanes |
#28. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
Project shared between the Town and County of Durham. Project has been identified on the County of Durham 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. Thus, new project limits are from NC54 to Stagecoach Road). |
|
16. Estes Drive: NC 86 to Curtis Road, widen existing roadway to include two 12-foot travel lanes, four-foot bicycle lanes and sidewalks. |
#21. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
17. Mount Carmel Church Road: Improvements from US 15-501 South to Chatham County line, to be limited to include bicycle lanes, sidewalks, transit and safety improvements |
#34. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
Project shared between the Town and Orange County. Project has been identified on the Orange County 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. |
|
18. Bolin Creek Phase IV: Construct a greenway from Umstead Park to Carolina North, follow Umstead Drive to Estes Drive, then along Estes Drive to Carolina North |
#29. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
New project that was added to the Town’s 2011-2017 priority list |
|
19. Piney Mountain Road: Improvements from NC 86 to Riggsbee Road, including turn lanes, sidewalks, bicycle lanes and transit accommodations |
#22. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
20. Erwin Road: Construct bicycle lanes, sidewalks and safety improvements, US15-501 to Durham County line |
#9. on Bicycle Pedestrian List |
Project shared between the Town and County of Durham. Project has been identified on the County of Durham 2011-2017 Transportation Priority List. Thus, new project limits are from US 15-501 to NC 751). |
|
21. Old Mason Farm/Finley Golf Course Road: Construct bicycle lanes and sidewalks |
#36. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
22. Fordham Boulevard Corridor: US 15-501 South to Ephesus Church Road- bicycle and pedestrian Improvements |
#10. on Bicycle- Pedestrian project list |
|
|
23. NC 54 Corridor: Fordham Boulevard to Barbee Chapel Road- bicycle and pedestrian Improvements |
#7. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
|
24. Horace Williams Trail: Construct a greenway from Homestead Road and Carolina North to the Town Operations Center, adjacent to the Norfolk Southern rail line (formerly Southern Railroad Greenway) |
#43. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
New project that was added to the Town’s 2011-2017 priority list |
|
25. Bolin Creek/Little Creek Greenway: Construct a greenway from Chapel Hill Community Center to Pinehurst Drive |
#30. on Bicycle-Pedestrian project list |
|
With the exception of project priority #1, Transit Capital Projects, the remaining projects are primarily bicycle and pedestrian. We believe that the funding for these Chapel Hill requests should be provided from the highway fund, which provides the largest amount of transportation monies. The limitations of available funding from the Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian program will require the Chapel Hill projects to be funded from other sources. Although North Carolina has historically allocated the bulk of federal transportation funds to roadway projects, federal program guidelines would allow these funds to be allocated to bicycle and pedestrian projects.
NEXT STEPS
The Transportation Advisory Committee is scheduled to approve the Regional Priority List in March 2009 and forward a copy to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The State is scheduled to release a draft STIP in 2009. At that time the Urban Area will prepare a draft MTIP which will be used in negotiations with the state. A final draft MTIP is expected to be developed in November 2009 and the TAC is expected to adopt a final 2011-2017 program in June 2010 (Attachment 3).
Staff Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution, which would provide the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee with comments and recommendations on the Draft 2011-2017 Regional Priority List. We offer the following comments and recommendations for the Council’s consideration: