AGENDA #6
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration of the State’s Revised Proposal for the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project
DATE: September 22, 2003
The following information is provided as reference material for the Council’s consideration of the State’s revised proposal for the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project between NC 86 and Erwin Road.
The State’s revised proposal includes:
· One travel lane in each direction with a continuous center turn lane on Weaver Dairy Road between Kingston Drive and Erwin Road.
· Two travel lanes in each direction with a raised center median on Weaver Dairy Road between Kingston Drive and NC 86, with additional lanes as necessary to accommodate traffic at the NC 86 and Erwin Road (new alignment) intersections.
· Curb/gutter and sidewalk on both sides.
· Wide outer travel lanes to accommodate bicycles.
· Right and left turn lanes and bus pull-offs as necessary.
· New traffic signals including pedestrian facilities at the intersections of Weaver Dairy Road with Sunrise Road and Erwin Road (new alignment). Traffic signals including pedestrian facilities will be installed at the intersection of Weaver Dairy Road with Silo Drive, subject to the results of a traffic signal warrants analysis at this location.
· The NCDOT agrees to perform warrants analysis for a signalized pedestrian crosswalk on Weaver Dairy Road at its intersection with San Sophia Drive.
· The NCDOT agrees to install a roundabout at the intersection of the existing and new alignment segments of Weaver Dairy Road, subject to detailed engineering feasibility study.
· Narrowing of existing five-lane segments of Weaver Dairy Road east of Kingston Drive as necessary to create a uniform three-lane cross section.
Adoption of the attached resolution would: (1) express the Council’s appreciation to the State for its willingness and cooperation in working with the Town to developing the revised proposal for improving Weaver Dairy Road; (2) endorse in concept the State’s revised proposal for improving Weaver Dairy Road and; (3) request that the State proceed with preliminary plan development in preparation for a Public Hearing on the revised proposal at the earliest possible date.
The Manager recommends adoption of the attached resolution.
BACKGROUND
The improvement of Weaver Dairy Road between NC 86 and Erwin Road was ranked high throughout the 1990’s on the Town’s list of projects to be included in the State Transportation Improvement Program. State project development work began in 1999, and eventually included study of three-lane, four-lane, four-lane median divided, and five-lane cross section design alternatives. Please see the attached chronology that summarizes the project history.
Following a November 2002 Public Hearing on the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project, we received no further official communication from the State regarding the project until August 2003, at which time Town’s representative on the State Transportation Board, Mr. J. Douglas Galyon, contacted the Mayor and requested a meeting to review a revised State proposal for improving Weaver Dairy Road.
DISCUSSION
The Mayor and Town staff representatives met with Mr. Galyon and representatives of the North Carolina Department of Transportation on September 2, 2003, to review and discuss the State’s revised proposal.
We learned that the State had performed further analysis of the Weaver Dairy Road corridor and the extent of improvements necessary to provide reasonable levels of service in future years. One important outcome of the State’s additional analysis was a reduction in projected traffic volumes to the extent that a three-lane cross section (as proposed by the Town) was determined to be feasible for most of the Weaver Dairy Road corridor.
However, even with the reduced traffic volume projections, the State continues to believe that a four-lane median divided cross section is necessary on the segment of Weaver Dairy Road west of Kingston Drive. We understand that this is due in part to the high volume of vehicle movements generated by the commercial development adjacent to this section of Weaver Dairy Road, and the number of driveway and street intersections that will require controlled access in order to maintain acceptable service levels.
We also note that, because of the reductions in projected traffic volumes on Weaver Dairy Road, the State has advised us that it must restudy the previously approved traffic signal installation at the Silo Drive intersection adjacent to Carol Woods. Based on the reduced traffic volumes discussed above, this traffic signal may no longer be warranted. However, our State Transportation Board Member J. Douglas Galyon has advised us that he believes that the installation of this traffic signal will be warranted.
The following summaries outline the key elements of three different proposals for improving Weaver Dairy Road between NC 86 and Erwin Road:
Four-lane median divided project initially preferred by the
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
· Two travel lanes in each direction with a raised center median.
· Curb/gutter and sidewalk on both sides.
· Wide outside travel lanes to accommodate bicycles.
· Right and left turn lanes and bus pull-offs as necessary.
· New traffic signals including pedestrian facilities at the intersections of Weaver Dairy Road with Silo Drive, Sunrise Road, and at the new alignment intersection with Erwin Road/Sage Road.
Three-lane Project currently endorsed by the
Chapel Hill Town Council
· One travel lane in each direction with a continuous center turn lane.
· Curb/gutter and sidewalk on both sides.
· Wide outer travel lanes to accommodate bicycles.
· Right and left turn lanes and bus pull-offs as necessary.
· New traffic signals including pedestrian facilities at the intersections of Weaver Dairy Road with Banks Drive, Silo Drive, Sunrise Road, and at the new alignment intersection with Erwin Road/Sage Road.
· Signalized pedestrian crosswalk on Weaver Dairy Road at its intersection with San Sophia Drive.
· Roundabout at the intersection of the existing and new segments of Weaver Dairy Road.
· Narrowing of existing five-lane segments of Weaver Dairy Road as necessary to create a uniform cross-section through most of the project.
Revised project proposal from the
North Carolina Department of Transportation
· One travel lane in each direction with a continuous center turn lane on Weaver Dairy Road between Kingston Drive and Erwin Road.
· Two travel lanes in each direction with a raised center median on Weaver Dairy Road between Kingston Drive and NC 86, with additional lanes as necessary to accommodate traffic at the NC 86 and Erwin Road (new alignment) intersections.
· Curb/gutter and sidewalk on both sides.
· Wide outer travel lanes to accommodate bicycles.
· Right and left turn lanes and bus pull-offs as necessary.
· New traffic signals including pedestrian facilities at the intersections of Weaver Dairy Road with Sunrise Road and Erwin Road (new alignment). Traffic signals including pedestrian facilities will be installed at the intersection of Weaver Dairy Road with Silo Drive, subject to the results of a traffic signal warrants analysis at this location.
· The NCDOT agrees to perform warrants analysis for a signalized pedestrian crosswalk on Weaver Dairy Road at its intersection with San Sophia Drive.
· The NCDOT agrees to install a roundabout at the intersection of the existing and new alignment segments of Weaver Dairy Road, subject to detailed engineering feasibility study.
· Narrowing of existing five-lane segments of Weaver Dairy Road east of Kingston Drive as necessary to create a uniform three-lane cross section.
The State is still evaluating reduction of the roadway cross section in the new alignment segment of Weaver Dairy Road from three lanes to two lanes as proposed by the Town. We think that a two-lane roadway would be adequate for the new alignment segment because there are no driveway connections proposed for this segment, thus making the center turn lane unnecessary for either functional or capacity reasons. There is one future street intersection proposed for this segment of the project, and we would expect some widening to occur at the street intersection to accommodate turn lanes as necessary.
The attached concept drawings graphically compare the Town endorsed three-lane improvement project versus the revised proposal from the State that includes a segment of four-lane median divided cross section west of Kinston Drive and the remainder as three-lane cross section.
NEXT STEPS
The State requests that the Town Council approve in concept the revised proposal as described above and as depicted on the attached drawings. If the Council approves of the design concept proposed by the State, then the Environmental Assessment for the project would be updated and a new hearing map would be prepared in anticipation of a Public Hearing in the fall of 2004. Following review of the hearing comments, the project design would be revised as necessary and preparation would begin on preliminary construction drawings. Right-of-way acquisitions would begin in the fall of 2005.
Based on this tentative schedule, we would expect construction to begin in late 2007 and to be completed in late 2009.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
That the Council adopt the attached resolution endorsing in concept the State’s revised proposal for the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project between NC 86 and Erwin Road.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Chronological summary of project history from April 1999 to November 2002 (p. 7).
2. Concept drawings comparing Town and State proposals for Weaver Dairy Road (p. 10).
A RESOLUTION ENDORSING IN CONCEPT THE STATE’S REVISED PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVING WEAVER DAIRY ROAD BETWEEN NC 86 AND ERWIN ROAD (2003-09-22/R-5)
WHEREAS, it is the Council’s desire to improve Weaver Dairy Road to the extent that it can safely and effectively accommodate existing and future pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic; and
WHEREAS, it is important to the Council that such improvements be designed and constructed so as to minimize disturbance of adjacent properties; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes that the principles of Context Sensitive Design should be included in the development of this project; and
WHEREAS, the Council requested that the State consider a three-lane cross section for improving Weaver Dairy Road rather than a median divided four-lane cross section preferred by the State; and
WHEREAS, the State has presented for the Council’s consideration a revised proposal for improving Weaver Dairy Road as outlined below:
· One travel lane in each direction with a continuous center turn lane on Weaver Dairy Road between Kingston Drive and Erwin Road.
· Two travel lanes in each direction with a raised center median on Weaver Dairy Road between Kingston Drive and NC 86, with additional lanes as necessary to accommodate traffic at the NC 86 and Erwin Road (new alignment) intersections.
· Curb/gutter and sidewalk on both sides.
· Wide outer travel lanes to accommodate bicycles.
· Right and left turn lanes and bus pull-offs as necessary.
· New traffic signals including pedestrian facilities at the intersections of Weaver Dairy Road with Sunrise Road and Erwin Road (new alignment). Traffic signals including pedestrian facilities will be installed at the intersection of Weaver Dairy Road with Silo Drive, subject to the results of a traffic signal warrants analysis at this location.
· The NCDOT agrees to perform warrants analysis for a signalized pedestrian crosswalk on Weaver Dairy Road at its intersection with San Sophia Drive.
· The NCDOT agrees to install a roundabout at the intersection of the existing and new alignment segments of Weaver Dairy Road, subject to detailed engineering feasibility study.
· Narrowing of existing five-lane segments of Weaver Dairy Road east of Kingston Drive as necessary to create a uniform three-lane cross section.
WHEREAS, the Council believes that the State’s revised proposal substantially achieves the Council’s objectives and vision for the Weaver Dairy Road corridor.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council expresses its appreciation to the State for its willingness to work with the Town to develop an improvement proposal that substantially achieves the objectives of both the Town and the State for Weaver Dairy Road.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council herewith endorses in concept the State’s revised proposal, as outlined above, for the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council requests that the State proceed with necessary revisions in the project Environmental Assessment and drawings in preparation for a Public Hearing at the earliest date possible.
This the 22nd day of September, 2003.
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE
WEAVER DAIRY ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
(April 1999 through November 2002)
APRIL 28, 1999 - Town and State hosted a Citizens’ Informational Workshop to present information on proposed Weaver Dairy Road improvement alternatives. Four alternatives were presented at the workshop, two with five-lane undivided cross sections and two with four-lane median divided cross sections. At the workshop, Town Council Members in attendance requested that the State also study design alternatives involving four-lane and three-lane cross sections without medians.
NOVEMBER 14, 2000 - The Town sponsored an informational workshop to provide an opportunity for interested citizens to review drawings and information about the project design alternatives and to discuss the project with Town and State staff. This workshop and subsequent discussions included information developed by the State for three-lane, four-lane undivided, four-lane median divided, and five-lane undivided cross sections.
NOVEMBER 20, 2000 - The Town Council held a Public Forum to discuss proposed Weaver Dairy Road improvement alternatives and to receive citizens’ comments about the project.
JANUARY 22, 2001 - The Town Council received a staff report on the proposed Weaver Dairy Road improvement alternatives, including staff responses to Council and citizen questions and comments expressed at the November 20, 2000 Public Forum referenced above. State and Town staff recommended that the Council adopt a resolution endorsing a conceptual design for Weaver Dairy Road between NC 86 and Erwin Road to include a four-lane median divided cross section consisting of two travel lanes in each direction, wide outside lanes to accommodate bicycle use, a raised center median with exclusive turn lanes and refuge for pedestrians, curb/gutter/sidewalk along both sides of the road, and bus pull-offs as necessary.
JANUARY 22, 2001 - The Town Council adopted a resolution endorsing a conceptual design for Weaver Dairy Road to include three-lane undivided cross section without a raised center median consisting of one fourteen foot wide travel lane in each direction, a continuous center turn lane, curb/gutter/sidewalks along both sides, and bus pull-offs as necessary.
JANUARY 26, 2001 – The Mayor sent a letter to the State Project Development Engineer with a copy of the Council resolution endorsing a three-lane cross section for Weaver Dairy Road.
FEBRUARY 15, 2001 - The Mayor received a letter from the State Project Development Engineer advising the Town that the State would not recommend construction of the three-lane cross section endorsed by the Town Council and would proceed with design of the four-lane median divided cross section recommended by State.
APRIL 4, 2001 - A delegation of Town Council Members met with the State Transportation Secretary and his staff to present the Council decision to endorse a three-lane undivided project for Weaver Dairy Road and to request that the State reconsider its recommendation for a four-lane divided cross section.
MAY 21, 2001 - The Town Manager received a letter from the State Transportation Secretary advising the Town that the State maintained its earlier recommendation that Weaver Dairy Road be improved to a four-lane median divided roadway, and noting that the State would not proceed further with project development until the Town endorsed the State recommended cross section.
JUNE 25, 2001 - The Town Council adopted a resolution endorsing the State recommended design for Weaver Dairy Road between NC 86 and Erwin Road to include a median divided four-lane cross section consisting of two travel lanes in each direction, wide outside lanes to accommodate bicycle use, a raised center median with exclusive left turn lanes and refuge for pedestrians, curb/gutter/sidewalk along both sides of the road, and bus pull-offs as necessary. This resolution was forwarded to the State.
AUGUST 16, 2001 - The Mayor received a letter from the State Transportation Secretary acknowledging the Council’s endorsement of the four-lane median divided cross section, and agreeing to proceed with project development on that basis.
FEBRUARY 2002 - The Town Manager received a copy of the Environmental Assessment for the Weaver Dairy Road Project, and copies of the document were distributed to the Council. The State advised Town staff that a Public Hearing on the project was tentatively scheduled for late spring 2002.
FEBRUARY 12, 2002 - At the direction of the Town Council, the Mayor wrote a letter to the State Transportation Secretary asking that the State suspend further development of the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project to allow more time for the Town Council to consider alternatives to the currently endorsed project.
MARCH 12, 2002 - The Mayor received a letter from the State Transportation Secretary agreeing to suspend all work on the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project for 45 days.
APRIL 8, 2002 - The Council conducted a work session to discuss alternatives to the State preferred design for Weaver Dairy Road.
APRIL 22, 2002 - The Council held a Public Forum to receive citizen comments and to further discuss alternatives for Weaver Dairy Road, and subsequently adopted a resolution requesting that the NCDOT consider alternative improvements on Weaver Dairy Road to include: Widening of existing two-lane sections to no more that three-lanes and reducing of existing five-lane sections to three-lanes.
MAY 8, 2002 - The Mayor received a letter from the State Transportation Secretary advising that the State continued to prefer the four-lane median divided project for Weaver Dairy Road and that a Public Hearing on the preferred cross-section would be scheduled in the fall.
SUMMER 2002 - The Mayor’s Committee and Town staff met with Transportation Board Member Galyon to discuss practical alternatives to the State preferred design. Subsequently, a conceptual three-lane improvement plan for Weaver Dairy Road was developed by the Mayor’s Committee and Town staff.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 - The Council held a Public Forum to receive comments and to discuss the conceptual three-lane plan that was developed over the summer.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2002 - The Council adopted a resolution requesting that the State reconsider a three-lane improvement project on Weaver Dairy Road, and included conceptual drawings of the proposed three-lane project for review by the State.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2002 - The Mayor sent to the State Transportation Secretary a copy of the Council resolution requesting reconsideration of a three-lane design for Weaver Dairy Road.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2002 – The Mayor received a letter from the State Transportation Secretary advising that the State would proceed with its planned Public Hearing on the four-lane median divided project; and would consider the Town’s request along with comments received at the Public Hearing before making a final decision on the Weaver Dairy Road cross-section.
NOVEMBER 14, 2002 – The State held a Public Hearing on the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project at which the Mayor submitted, on behalf of the Town, a letter and attachments outlining the Town’s request for a three-lane improvement project instead of the State’s preferred four-lane median divided project.
