MINUTES OF A WORK SESSION OF THE CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1995, 5:30 P.M, CHAPEL HILL PUBLIC LIBRARY

Mayor Broun called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

Council Members in attendance were Joyce Brown, Mark Chilton, Pat Evans, Lee Pavão, Barbara Powell, Jim Protzman, and Rosemary Waldorf. Council Member Joe Capowski was absent excused. Also in attendance were Town Manager Cal Horton, Assistant Town Managers Sonna Loewenthal and Florentine Miller, Assistant to the Manager Greg Feller, and Senior Transportation Planner David Bonk.

Mr. Horton presented a brief overview of the U.S. 15-501 corridor plan's preparation to date and the concerns identified by Town residents, the study's consultants and Town staff.

Mr. Bonk noted that the materials before the Council this evening included a proposed corridor plan, as well as various documents related to the plan. He stated that the consultant's study had taken approximately eighteen months to complete. Mr. Bonk also noted that the Council had recently referred the study to several Town advisory boards for comments and recommendations. He also presented a brief overview of the study's recommendations.

Mr. Bonk said the U.S. 15-501 corridor study sought to assess

possible future land uses along the corridor and related traffic patterns. He noted that growth in projected future traffic volumes varied between 20% and 110%, depending upon assumptions made concerning future land use and growth activity. Mr. Bonk added that the consultant's study had concluded that roadways adjoining the U.S. 15-501 corridor would also be significantly impacted by future growth. He stated that the consultant was recommending a mix of improvements to address this projected growth, including roadway improvements, public transportation, land-use controls and traffic management policies within the corridor to reduce the use of single-occupant vehicles. Mr. Bonk also noted that the study recommended the need for further analysis of the possibility of converting the corridor into an urban freeway. He stated that the consultant recommended phased roadway improvements.

Mr. Bonk noted that conversion of the corridor to an urban freeway would directly impact about 75 commercial and residential structures, some dramatically. He noted that the Triangle Transit Authority's traffic volume projections along the U.S. 15-501 corridor were somewhat lower than the consultant's projections.

Mayor Broun asked Mr. Bonk to refresh the Council's memory about the study's principal recommendations. Mr. Bonk stated that the report examined the impact of a circulator road system, two roads paralleling I-40 and the U.S. 15-501 intersection that would connect the four quadrants of this intersection together. He said the benefits of implementing this system would relieve traffic congestion because it would allow for local access to the quadrants without necessitating travel on U.S. 15-501.

Mr. Bonk noted that although the concept of a circulator road was an interesting one, two bridges would be needed to connect the four roadway quadrants.

Council Member Brown inquired about the status of current roadway construction along the U.S. 15-501 corridor. Mr. Bonk said a service road was currently being constructed on the Durham end of the corridor. Council Member Brown asked whether any discussions had taken place with the North Carolina Department of Transportation pertaining to the construction of bridges. Mr. Bonk said that NCDOT staff, in conjunction with staff, had produced some preliminary cost estimates for various roadway configurations.

Council Member Brown asked whether the study anticipated future rezoning requests. Mr. Bonk said the plan was based on current zoning rather than proposed future rezonings.

Council Member Evans inquired whether the Wal-Mart project was projected to produce 30,000 vehicle trips per day. Mr. Bonk said yes, noting that the actual figure might be somewhat lower.

Council Member Brown inquired about the study's anticipated timeframe. Mr. Bonk said the process was moving forward very quickly, and a full study was expected to begin this fall. He also estimated that it would take approximately eighteen months to two years to complete the study.

Council Member Brown noted that many things could change during this time. Mr. Bonk said they recognize that two years was a long time, but it was the Town's intention to structure the study so that interim recommendations could be made during the study period, before a final report was presented. He also said the consultant could come back within six to nine months with preliminary recommendations and a list of possible policy objectives. Council Member Brown inquired whether any special legislation might be needed during the process. Mr. Horton said if any were needed, it would need to be addressed during the 1996-97 session of the General Assembly.

Mayor Broun said that during the next two years while this study was being conducted, Durham and the Town would both be faced with land use issues and setting priorities for improvements to various intersections. He inquired what kinds of recommendations might be expected during the two year study and corridor planning process.

Mr. Bonk stated that land use, minimize traffic impacts and the use of single-occupant vehicles would certainly be some of the issues which could be examined during this period. He also noted that the most pertinent information would not be available until toward the end of the study period.

Mr. Bonk suggested the possibility of the consultant providing periodic reports to the Council on specific matters. Council Member Brown asked how this might effect the study process and its cost. She also inquired whether Durham Council members would be interested in receiving these periodic updates. Mr. Bonk said Durham City officials would most likely appreciate having additional information. He noted the importance of coordinating activities between the Town and the City of Durham. Mr. Horton said the consultant would likely have difficulty accepting this type of assignment or would be reluctant to offer an opinion on just a portion of the project until they had made very substantial progress in terms of the overall study.

Noting the number of planning alternatives available, Council Member Protzman said although he believed this approach would be difficult, it might be workable. Mayor Broun inquired whether Council Member Protzman was suggesting that the consultant present a series of options with estimated costs for each one. Council Member Protzman said yes, adding that every available option should be investigated.

Council Member Brown said the report was very clear that there was more than one solution to traffic concerns. She inquired whether it was correct that the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) had endorsed the concept of an urban freeway along the freeway at one time. Mr. Bonk said the U.S. 15-501 corridor study report had recently been presented to the TAC. Council Member Protzman expressed concern that additional funds had been expended for the Phase II study just because the first corridor study was incomplete. He suggested that the Council ask the consultants for many different options and alternatives so that a Phase III study would not be needed.

Mr. Horton said his concern was that there would be a tendency to focus too much on constructing more roadways, rather than developing transportation alternatives and intersection improvements. Mr. Horton emphasized the importance of active involvement throughout the process in order to ensure clear presentation of alternatives.

Council Member Pavão emphasized the importance of being very specific with the project consultant in order that they be clear about the Town's desires. Mr. Horton said the State Department of Transportation would be every explicit about details as would the City of Durham and the Town. He also said the scope of the study would have to be followed very closely to assure that these goals were reached.

Council Member Pavão asked whether more frequent updates during the process were possible. Mr. Horton said yes, noting that active monitoring of the process was desirable. Mr. Bonk said a policy committee would oversee the consultant's work.

Council Member Pavão asked whether $80 million was the preliminary estimate for the entire project. Mr. Bonk said no, noting that these were roadway costs only. He noted that $100 million was probably a more realistic overall cost estimate.

Council Member Evans said she had real concerns about the original consultants because they had their own agenda and although they included the public, they did not seem to incorporate public concerns. Noting that the State would not consider building a cloverleaf, she inquired why a fixed guideway option was desirable. Council Member Evans also said that she was not sure why it was so important to Chapel Hill to link the quadrants. Council Member Evans said it would be very desirable for U.S. 15-501 to remain an attractive entranceway corridor into the Town.

Council Member Evans asked how many of the proposed intersections would have synchronized traffic lights, if any. Mr. Horton said that this information was not currently available, but was being worked on by Engineering staff. Council Member Evans stated she thought synchronized lights would be a tremendous help along this corridor.

Council Member Brown, addressing the proposed scope of work, said that the public should have as much opportunity as possible for input during the study period. Mr. Bonk stated that the public had been heavily involved during the first study. Mr. Bonk stated that if a policy committee was formed as requested, one of their first tasks would be to study how the public might be more involved in the Phase II study process.

Council Member Waldorf asked what were the areas of policy agreement between the City of Durham and the State of North Carolina concerning the U.S. 15-501 corridor. Mr. Horton said there were no agreements as this time, although there was and had been a great deal of conversation among all parties concerned. Mayor Broun said that in discussions with these groups, issues were openly discussed and all involved were very interested in improving the corridor.

Council Member Waldorf said she did not understand how we could have a consultant conduct a study when no policy agreements were in place. Mr. Horton said there would have to have been many discussions between the groups to iron out the differences noted. Mayor Broun said Mr. Horton was correct that others might have a different vision of this roadway. He said although the Town viewed the road as a link to Durham, the Department of Transportation might see it as a road linking U.S. 15-501 to I-85.

Council Member Protzman said that given this information, his biggest concern was that the odds of seeing innovation were very remote. Council Member Protzman stated that public comment could yield some new and innovative ideas. He also emphasized the importance of completing roadway improvements incrementally. Council Member Brown said it was very important for the Council to be clear in its intentions so that citizens would be well apprised of pertinent information.

Council Member Brown stated that the Council should begin thinking of alternatives that could realistically be considered.

Mayor Broun said he had a fairly clear idea of what the possible problems were and possible solutions to move traffic in a reasonable manner while protecting existing area residences and businesses. Mayor Broun said he believed the challenge to find solution lay with officials in Durham and the Town, rather than being a regional concern. Council Member Protzman concurred, stating that the Council's goals should be more specific. He also suggested that it might be useful at some point to prioritize needs on a road-by-road basis to mitigate backdoor traffic through neighborhoods along the U.S. 15-501 corridor.

Mr. Horton said one way to address some of these issues would be to build in a process in the Phase II study, as well as having Town staff examine some of these concerns.

Council Member Waldorf inquired whether the proposed study would examine options for Erwin Road. Mr. Bonk said yes, noting that all feasible options along the corridor would be studied.

Council Member Brown said she believed the Council should very carefully consider all options during the Phase II study. She noted that concerns about Erwin Road would likely be shared by Town and Durham officials since Erwin Road extended into Durham's jurisdiction.

Mr. Horton said an emphasis would be placed on identifying alternatives, working in increments, making sure the Town pushed for a good plan of citizen involvement, reporting back to the elected officials, and making sure everything came back to the Council for review before any action was taken. Mr. Horton said he believed staff needed to bring back to the Council a report which broadened the project's view. He said this could be handled by Town staff or the project's consultants.

Council Member Protzman said the Transportation Board should have a significant role in the study's planning and review processes. He inquired whether there was any Council interest in some experimental activities so that more innovative ideas could be identified.

Council Members Pavão, Evans, and Brown concurred that such alternatives merited further examination.

Council Member Pavão said it was important not to overlook the Town's original goal of finding more immediate solutions to the problems already existing along the U.S. 15-501 corridor.

Mayor Broun stated that mass transit solutions take a long period of time to fully implement. Mr. Horton said staff would prepare a follow-up report to Council questions and concerns raised earlier in the evening.

The meeting concluded at 7:10 p.m.