AGENDA# 15b

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Town Council

FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT: Draft Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro 2002-2008 Regional Transportation Priority List

DATE: January 10, 2000

The attached resolution provides the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee with comments on the Draft 2002-2008 Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Regional Transportation Project Priority List.

BACKGROUND

On November 22, 1999, the Council adopted a 2002-2008 Chapel Hill Transportation Project Priority List (Attachment 1). The Priority List was submitted to the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee for its use in developing a 2002-2008 Regional Priority List (Attachment 2). The Regional Priority List will be used develop the 2002-2008 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program. The Priority List will also be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for its use in preparing a draft 2002-2008 State Transportation Improvement Program.

DISCUSSION

Table 1 compares the priority ranking of Chapel Hill transportation projects in the draft 2002-2008 Regional Priority List. Note that only the first 25 projects have been given a priority number although all projects submitted by local jurisdiction have been included in the longer list. The Priority List was developed using a methodology approved by the Transportation Advisory Committee (Attachment 3). This methodology assigns points to projects in 12 different categories. The ranking for projects with the same number of points is determined by whether the project had been ranked in the 1999 Regional Priority List.

Overall, five of Chapel Hill’s transportation projects were ranked in the top 25 regional projects. Although the Town submitted Chapel Hill Transit projects as a package, they were evaluated as individual projects. The vehicle replacement projects were ranked as the #4 regional project.

Table 1

Chapel Hill Project Priority	Draft Regional Priority	Notes
1. Transit Capital 2002-2008	#4- Vehicle Replacement Unranked-Facility Rehabilitation	Vehicle replacement includes bus and van purchases in FY2002-2005
2. NC54/Hamilton Rd Improvements	Unranked	Could receive additional points with corrections to ranking criteria
3. Estes Drive Extension, NC86 to N. Greensboro Street Improvements	#9	Ranked #19 in previous 1999 Regional Priority List
4. Seawell School Rd Improvements	#23	Ranked #18 in 1999 Regional Priority List
5. East Franklin Street Sidewalks	Unranked
6. Fordham Blvd. Sidewalk	Unranked
7. Estes Drive, NC86 to Curtis Dr. Bikelanes and Sidewalk	Unranked
8. Culbreth Rd. Bikelanes and Sidewalk	Unranked
9. Franklin St./Bolin Crk Greenway Access	Unranked
10. Estes Drive Sidewalk, Curtis Dr. to Fordham Blvd.	#25	Ranked #11 in 1999 Regional Priority List
11. Old Durham-Chapel Hill Rd. Bikelanes	#17	Unranked in 1999 Priority List
12. Pope Rd/Ephesus Church Rd. Bikelanes	Unranked
13. Bolin Crk Greenway	Unranked
14. Piney Mt. Rd. Sidewalk and Bikelanes	Unranked
15. Mt. Carmel Church Rd. Bikelanes and Sidewalks	Unranked
16. Dry Creek Greenway	Unranked
17. Morgan Creek Greenway	Unranked
18. Manning Drive Sidewalk	Unranked
19. Fordham Blvd. Sidewalk	Unranked
20. Upper Booker Crk Greenway	Unranked
21. Country Club Rd. Sidewalk	Unranked
22. Merritt Mill Rd. Sidewalk	Unranked
23. Bolin Creek/Little Creek Greenway	Unranked

Our review of the draft Regional Priority List and Evaluation Methodology has identified several errors in the assignment of points.

§ The transit facility rehabilitation was not assigned points as transit replacement project and should have been identified as a component of the Long Range Transportation Plan.

§ The Hamilton Road/NC54 project should have been assigned points as an element of the Long Range Transportation Plan

§ Several other bicycle and pedestrian projects should have been assigned points for being an element of the Long Range Transportation Plan

We also note that in the past the Transportation Advisory Committee has used the Regional Priority List as a guideline and has modified the final list of projects to correct mistakes and to give higher priority to projects that promote regional goals, such as encouraging alternative modes of travel.

We believe that several Chapel Hill projects should be moved up in priority ranking to reflect local needs and to promote alternative modes of transportation. The transit facility renovation and the Hamilton Road/NC54 intersection improvement projects should be moved up in the rankings to reflect their high priority for Chapel Hill and their impact on maintaining current transit services and improving pedestrian safety.

Other Chapel Hill pedestrian and bicycle projects in the Priority List should be given additional points for being part of the Long Range Plan.

While the Transportation Advisory Committee has revised the Evaluation Methodology to better reflect local and regional priorities we believe additional revisions are necessary. The Methodology should include guidelines on whether transit, pedestrian and bicycle projects are part of the Comprehensive Plan to ensure consistent application of the criteria.

In the November 22, 1999, approval of the Chapel Hill Priority List the Council also recommended that the Regional Priority List should be revised after the adoption of the 2025 Comprehensive Transportation Plan for the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Urban Area, which is anticipated in December, 2000. We believe that point should be emphasized to the North Carolina Department of Transportation again.

NEXT STEPS

The Transportation Advisory Committee is anticipated to approve the Regional Priority List on January 10, 1999, and forward a copy to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The current schedule for developing and approving the 2002-2008 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program anticipates the development of a draft Metropolitan Program in March or April, 2001.

RECOMMENDATION

Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council approve Resolution A, which provides the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee with comments and recommendations on the Draft 2002-2008 Regional Priority List.

§ The Chapel Hill transit facility renovation and the Hamilton Road/NC54 intersection improvement projects should be moved up in the rankings to reflect their high priority for Chapel Hill.

§ Other Chapel Hill pedestrian and bicycle projects in the Priority List should be given additional points for being part of the Long Range Plan.

§ Prior to the anticipated revision of the 2002-2008 Priority List the Transportation Advisory Committee should revise the Evaluation Methodology to include guidelines on whether transit, pedestrian and bicycle projects are part of the Comprehensive Plan to ensure consistent application of the criteria.

§ The Transportation Advisory Committee should inform the North Carolina Department of Transportation that this Regional Priority List will be revised upon completion of the 2025 Regional Comprehensive Transportation Plan.

ATTACHMENTS

1. 2002-2008 Chapel Hill Priority List (p. 6)

2. Draft 2002-2008 Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Regional Priority List (p. 8)

3. Ranking Priority (p. 13)

4. November 22, 1999 Memorandum (begin new page 1)

A RESOLUTION PROVIDING COMMENTS TO THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE DRAFT 2002-2008 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PRIORITY LIST (2000-01-10/R-28)

WHEREAS, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee has prepared a draft 2002-2008 Regional Transportation Priority List; and

WHEREAS, the Transportation Advisory Committee has opened a public comment period on the Draft Priority List;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the following comments be submitted to the Transportation Advisory Committee on the Draft 2002-2008 Regional Priority List: