AGENDA #4j

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:       2030 Long Range Transportation Plan Fixed Guideway Corridor: Chapel Hill to Carrboro

DATE:             December 6,  2004

The attached memorandum (Attachment 1) from the Chapel Hill and Carrboro Town Managers recommends that Chapel Hill and Carrboro support the approval of the fixed guideway corridor between the University of North Carolina main campus and the Carolina North property as shown in the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan. The Managers also recommend that a detailed study be undertaken to determine a final alignment.

We recommend adoption of the attached resolution transmitting these recommendations to the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee.

BACKGROUND

On September 27, the Chapel Hill Town Council adopted a resolution on the 2030 Long-Range Transportation Plan.  The resolution recommended that the Transportation Advisory Board Committee approve the 2030 Long Range Plan with four comments.  The fourth comment was related to the fixed guideway corridor between the UNC Campus and Carolina North and stated:  The fixed guideway map be altered to show Franklin Street as the useable corridor to points west of Columbia Street.

The Transportation Advisory Committee discussed the Chapel Hill resolution at its meeting on September 29 and agreed to incorporate the first three comments into the 2030 Long Range Plan.  The Committee referred the fourth comment regarding the fixed guideway corridor back to the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill for further consideration before action by the Committee.

RECOMMENDATION

We believe that the recommendations suggested in Attachment 1 will allow the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee to proceed with final approval of the 2030 Long Range Plan and allow for a resolution of the final alignment.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Memorandum from Chapel Hill and Carrboro Town Managers (p. 3).

A RESOLUTION PROVIDING THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE DELINEATION OF THE FIXED GUIDEWAY TRANSIT CORRIDOR BETWEEN CHAPEL HILL AND CARRBORO (2004-12-06/R-8)

WHEREAS, the Chapel Hill Town Council has reviewed the draft Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Town Council has raised concerns about the use of Cameron Avenue for the implementation of the fixed guideway transit corridor between Chapel Hill and Carrboro; and

WHEREAS, the Transportation Advisory Committee has requested that Chapel Hill and Carrboro resolve this issue prior to the final approval of the 2030 Long Range Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Town Managers from Chapel Hill and Carrboro have reviewed the issue and have developed recommendations for finalizing the location of the fixed guideway corridor between Chapel Hill and Carrboro;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council provides the following recommendations to the Transportation Advisory Committee:

• The description of the fixed guideway corridor in the 2030 LRTP should remain as it was in the 2025 LRTP.

• Prior to the adoption of the next updated LRTP, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO will undertake a study of the fixed guideway corridor to determine feasible alignments and appropriate vehicle technologies. This study would be similar to the major investment study previously completed for the US 15-501 corridor between Chapel Hill and Durham.

This the 6^th day of December, 2004.