AGENDA # 5e
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Status Report on Response to a Petition Requesting Prohibition of Left Turns from the Access Road onto Old Durham Road at its Intersection with US 15/501.
DATE: November 8, 2004
The following status report is in response to a petition from the Transportation Board requesting prohibition of left turns from the access road onto Old Durham Road at its intersection with US 15/501. An intersection map is presented in Attachment 1.
At its September 27, 2004 meeting, the Council received a petition from the Transportation Board requesting prohibition of left turns from the access road onto Old Durham Road at its intersection with US 15/501. A copy of the petition is provided in Attachment 2.
In its petition, the Board indicated that the subject intersection is sometimes heavily congested and vehicles attempting to make a left turn from the access road to Old Durham Road often disrupt traffic flow through the intersection and create conditions that could cause accidents.
The intersection of US 15/501 and Old Durham Road/Sage Road is signalized. US 15/501, Old Durham Road, and the access road are maintained by the State, and any changes in traffic controls would require State approval. During a field investigation involving Town and State staff, we found that Old Durham Road at US 15/501 is often congested, primarily due to the proximity and alignment of Scarlett Drive and the access road in relation to the intersection.
We observed that left turns from the access road onto Old Durham Road are often difficult, and create driver confusion that could result in accidents.
Recently, the Town received a development application for expansion of Performance Motors, located between the access road and Old Durham Road. In accordance with Town policy, we hired a consultant to perform a Traffic Impact Analysis associated with the development application. The scope of analysis includes study of the access road/Old Durham Road intersection in addition to several other intersections in the area. The study will include traffic counts, accident analysis, capacity analysis, and/or any recommendations for improving the access road/Old Durham Road intersection. We expect that the study will be completed by the end of this month.
Upon completion of the Consultant’s study, we will meet with State staff and discuss the findings of the study in relation to the Transportation Board’s request. We will work with State staff and area businesses that could be affected by proposed changes at this intersection, including prohibition of left turns from the access road onto Old Durham Road as requested by the Transportation Board.
We will provide a follow-up report and recommendations for the Council’s consideration after we have completed our review of the Transportation Impact Analysis for the proposed Performance Motors expansion, and discussed this matter with area businesses and State staff. We expect to report back to the Council in January 2005.
1. Intersection Map (p. 3).
2. Copy of the Petition form the Transportation Board (p. 4).
