AGENDA #5b

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:      Follow-Up Report Regarding Prohibition of Left Turns from the Access Road onto Old Durham Road at its Intersection with US 15/501

DATE:                        April 5, 2005

This is a follow-up report 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. 

The State has agreed to redesign the intersection to prohibit left turns. Another follow-up report will be presented to the Council within the next few months to address funding options and a construction schedule for the project.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

At its September 27, 2004 meeting, the Council received a petition from the Transportation Board requesting the prohibition of left turns from the access road onto Old Durham Road where it intersects with US 15/501.  At its November 8, 2004 meeting, the Council received a report from the Manager in response to the Transportation Board’s petition.   A copy of the November 8, 2004, Council report is provided in Attachment 1.  The Manager informed the Council that the Town and the State would jointly conduct an investigation and that a follow-up report would be presented to the Council after completion of the report.

During a field investigation involving the 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 the expansion of the Performance Motors site 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 Consultant completed the report and recommended redesign of the intersection to prohibit left turns from and to the access road at Old Durham Road as shown in Attachment 2. The recommended redesign of the access road entrance at Old Durham Road:

· Prohibits vehicles entering from Old Durham Road onto access road

· Prohibits left turns from access road onto Old Durham Road

The State also completed their investigation and agrees with the Consultant’s recommended design. Please see Attachment 3 for a copy of the letter from the State approving the proposed changes to the intersection of the access road and Old Durham Road.

We are currently working with the State and Performance Motors to finalize the funding options and construction schedule for the redesign of the intersection.  We will provide another follow-up report to the Council within the next few months regarding the funding options and construction schedule of the project.

ATTACHMENTS

1. November 8, 2004 Council Report (p. 3).

2. Proposed Design of Access Road at Old Durham Road (p. 7).

3. Letter from the State (p. 8).