TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Public Forum on 2004-2010 Chapel Hill Transportation Priority List
DATE: October 22, 2001
The Council is holding this Public Forum to hear citizen comments on the 2004-2010 Chapel Hill Transportation Priority List. This Priority List is updated every two years. This memorandum reviews status of projects in the Chapel Hill Transportation Priority List and summarizes recommendations from Town Advisory Boards for the development of the 2004-2010 Priority List. After receiving the comments tonight we will prepare a draft Priority List for Council consideration on November 14, 2001.
The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee has initiated the process for developing the 2004-2010 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has also begun the process to develop the 2004-2010 State Transportation Improvement Program.
The Transportation Advisory Committee has asked that local jurisdictions prepare transportation project priority lists. These local lists will be used by the Urban Area to develop a Regional Transportation Priority List. The Regional List will then be used to develop a draft Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program. The Regional List will also be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for their use in developing the State Program.
In November, 1999 the Town Council adopted a Chapel Hill Transportation Priority List as part of the development of the 2002-2008 Metropolitan and State Transportation Improvement Programs. (Attachment 1)
Funding for transportation projects has been provided from several sources, including:
· Federal Transportation funds: These funds are controlled by the State of North Carolina and are allocated through the transportation improvement program. There is no local match for these funds unless they include sidewalks, which require a cost sharing arrangement.
· Enhancement Program: The State has initiated a competitive process for allocating Enhancement Program funds. Eligible Enhancement projects include bicycle, pedestrian and scenic beautification. Enhancement projects require a 20% local match.
· Surface Transportation Program- Direct Allocation Program: (STP-DA) These federal funds are provided to the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee for allocation. They require a 20% local match.
· Federal Transit Administration Capital Program: Funding from this program is provided directly to transit operators. The standard cost sharing is 80% federal, 10% State and 10% local.
Funding for some of the Town’s projects have been provided through these funding sources.
Assessment of Projects
We provide below an assessment of the status of each project on the 2002-2008 Town Priority List.
1. Transit Capital Projects (FY 2002-2006).
Status: The STP-DA program has included $3.8 million split between FY 2001 and 2002 for the purchase of 14 buses. These funds were used to purchase 7 replacement buses and 10 new buses.
2. NC54/Hamilton Road Improvements- Installation of raised crosswalks, pavement treatments and median improvements from Fordham Blvd. to Burning Tree Drive.
Status: $170,000 in STP-DA funding has been allocated for this project. Project design and construction is currently underway.
3. Estes Drive Extension - N.C. 86 to North Greensboro Street (Carrboro), widen to three lanes with five foot bikelanes and sidewalks.
Status: Right of way purchase is scheduled for 2006 and construction has been identified for post years in TIP. Total project cost is estimated to be $6.5 million.
4. Seawell School Road- Improvements from Homestead Road to Estes Drive Extension, including turn lanes, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and transit accommodations.
5. East Franklin Street- Construct in-fill sidewalks on both sides from Elliott Road to Eastgate Shopping Center.
Status: Partial completion of sidewalks as part of the Booker Creek Greenway project. Approved development project will also provide a portion of the sidewalk construction.
6. Fordham Boulevard- Contruct sidewalk along west side from Willow Drive to Eastgate Shopping Center.
Status: Town is reviewing options for constructing a portion of this sidewalk through the Town’s Capital Improvement Program. Capital Improvement Program funds have been allocated for this project.
7. Estes Drive-NC 86 to Curtis Road, widen existing roadway to include two 12-foot travel lanes, four-foot bikelanes and sidewalks.
8. Culbreth Road - construct five foot bikelanes and sidewalks.
Status: No funding for bikelanes. Partial sidewalk funding is being considered for CIP funding.
9. Franklin Street/Bolin Creek Greenway Pedestrian/Bicycle Access- Install pedestrian/bicycle access between Franklin Street and Bolin Creek Greenway.
Status: No funding
Status: No funding.
Status: No funding
Status: No funding
Community Center to Pinehurst Drive.
Status: No funding
We will use the comments received at this public forum to prepare a draft 2004-2010 Chapel Hill Transportation Priority List for Council consideration on November 14, 2001. The adopted Chapel Hill Priority List will be submitted to the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee for their use in developing a Regional Priority List. We anticipate that the Regional Priority List will be adopted in January, 2002 by the Transportation Advisory Committee.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Transportation Board Recommendation: The Transportation Board reviewed the 2002-2008 Chapel Hill Priority List and recommended that the Council endorse the list without changes after removing the projects that have been funded (Attachment 2).
Planning Board Recommendation: The Planning Board reviewed the 2002-2008 Chapel Hill Priority List and recommended that Project # 8, Culbreth Road sidewalks,and Project #17, Morgan Creek Greenway, be combined and moved higher in the priority list (Attachment 3).
Greenways Commission: The Commission reviewed the 2002-2008 Chapel Hill Priority List and recommended the following changes: (Attachment 4)
The List should include the following three projects (in priority order) as high on the list as possible:
· Franklin Street/Bolin Creek Greenway Pedestrian/Bicycle Access (currently #9 on the list)
· Morgan Creek Greenway (currently #17 on the list)
· Dry Creek Greenway (currently #16 on the list)
The Commission also recommended that the following projects be included as longer-range projects on the Transportation Improvement Program:
· Bolin Creek Greenway Upstream of the Airport Road Bridge (currently #13 on the list)
· Upper Booker Creek Greenway (currently #20 on the list)
· Bolin Creek/Little Creek Greenway (currently #23 on the list)
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board: The Board will review the 2002-2008 Priority List on October 23, 2001. The Board’s recommendations will be provided to the Council as part of the November 14, 2001 Manager’s Memorandum.