Response Response
    Local Transportation Improvement Program, Wake County


MEMORANDUM


TO: Planning Board

FROM: Tim Clark, Senior Planner

SUBJ: Local Transportation Improvement Program - Request for FY 2002-2008

DATE: October 6, 1999


BACKGROUND

Every two years the North Carolina Board of Transportation accepts requests for projects to be included in its annual Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP is essentially a seven-year capital improvements program for state funded transportation facilities in North Carolina. The passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Act of 1991 and the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in 1998, has brought about changes in the process, procedures, and funding of the TIP. TEA-21 places more emphasis on programming decisions being made at the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) level, which includes all of the municipalities within Wake County as well as the County. Project requests must be submitted to the MPO staff by October 22, 1999.

As in past years, the CAMPO and NCDOT Transportation Improvement Programs are heavily leveraged to fund those projects that have been previously programmed. The CAMPO Technical Coordinating Committee and MPO staff have worked diligently again this year to review prioritization criteria in order to ensure that they are complementary to federal, state, and local practices, balanced to weigh all project requests equally, and promote those projects with the greatest benefit to CAMPO’s constituents.

The MPO staff will develop a draft request list from the requests submitted by the member governments. Staff from the member governments comprises the Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC), which will review this draft list and amend it where appropriate. The Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) will review the TCC recommendations and approve a final version for submittal to NCDOT.


Planning Board’s Public Involvement Process

In 1996, the Planning Board formed a Transportation Committee and the Committee adopted guidelines for developing the Wake County TIP request. These guidelines form the basis for the County’s TIP request. The guidelines shown below represent the County’s role in transportation planning, and what priorities for transportation improvements are in the best interests of the citizens of Wake County, and that these guidelines provide for a fiscally constrained TIP for the citizens of Wake County.

Ñ That the County should continue to deal primarily with road projects that link together parts of the County, leaving the municipalities to deal with roads within their jurisdictions.

Ñ That the County should include the Triangle Transit Authority’s Transit Plan as outlined in its Recommendations for a Regional Transit Plan along with a request for funding in its TIP request.

Ñ That the County should include railroad crossing safety improvements and school sidewalks (as identified by Wake County Public School System) in its TIP request.

Ñ That the 10 most needed road projects in Wake County should be included in the FY 2002 - 2008 NCTIP for funding and construction.


Recently Completed Transportation Projects

The following projects, included in Wake County’s previous TIP Requests, were completed during the last three years:

1. Morrisville Parkway Railroad Crossing: Near NC 54 and Morrisville Elementary School. Signalization at Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing with Morrisville Parkway.

2. Tingen Road Railroad Crossing: Near Apex Elementary School. Signalization at CSX Railroad crossing with Tingen Road (SR1153).

3. Wake Forest/Rolesville Middle School Sidewalk: Along South Main Street, connects Middle School and Elementary School by sidewalk.

4. I-540, Northern Wake Expressway: Section of the Northern Wake Expressway portion of the Outer Loop between I-40 and US 70.

5. Eastern Boulevard (NC ID# R-2634): Aviation Parkway connector from RDU International Airport to I-540.




NCTIP Roadway Projects

We recommend that the following 10 road projects, in order of priority, be included in the FY 2002-2008 NCTIP for funding and construction. 1. NC 55 (NC DOT ID# R-2905): From proposed Holly Springs Bypass to US 1. Widening of road to five lanes (1.6 miles) and widening of bridge #71 over US 1. The information available indicates that planning and design is complete, purchase of right-of-way is underway, and construction in 2002.

2. Northern Wake Expressway, I-540 (NC ID# R-2000): New location of a four-lane divided freeway from NC 55 west of Morrisville to US 64 East near Knightdale (29.0 miles). The information available indicates that design, purchase of right-of-way, and construction is underway (the section between I-40 and US 70 is open). (Project should include pedestrian enhancements at 9 locations and 8 wet pond storm water impoundments.)

3. US 64 Knightdale Bypass (NC ID# R-2547): New location of a four-lane divided freeway from I-440 to US 64 East near Rolesville Road (SR 1003) (10.2 miles). The information available indicates that planning is underway. Design is underway, purchase of right-of-way is scheduled for 2000, and construction beginning in 2002.

4. NC 98 Bypass (NC ID# R-2809): New location, Wake Forest Bypass, west of SR 1923 to east of SR 2053, is a two-lane facility on multi-lane right-of-way (4.7 miles). The information available indicates that planning and design is underway, purchase of
right-of-way in 2000, and construction in 2002.

5. I-440 (Cliff Benson Beltline)(NC ID# U-2719): Widen to 6 lanes from I-40 to north of Wade Avenue (3.5 miles). The information available indicates that planning is underway.

6. NC 55 (NC ID# R-2906): From US 64 to Cornwallis Road (SR 1121, Durham Co.), widen roadway to multi-lanes. Planning and design for this project is underway, purchase of right-of-way in 2002, and construction in 2003.

7. US 401 North (NC ID# R-2425): Widen to a four-lane divided highway and revise overpass at US 1 (Capital Boulevard) to Ligon Mill Road (SR 2044) (4.5 miles). Design and purchase of right-of-way is complete, and construction is underway.

8. Davis Drive (SR 1613) (New Project): Widen from two to four travel lanes from Salem Church Road (SR 1614) to NC 54 in Durham County. This route is important in providing access and stimulating development throughout Research Triangle Park. This project also has the potential to provide relief for traffic congestion on I-40, NC 55, and NC 54. Traffic counts recently done by Kimley-Horn Associates for Research Triangle Foundation showed Davis Drive had a 1995 ADT of 13,648 and is projected to reach 29,500 by 2005. The existing two-lane road is at or over capacity at peak hours and is currently operating at a level of service D. This request was included in the last five years overall County TIP requests.

9. Eastern Wake Expressway (NC ID# R-2641): New four-lane divided freeway. From proposed US 64 Bypass to US 64 East (2.1 miles). The information available indicates that this is identified for right-of-way protection.

10. Tryon Road (SR 1009) (New Project and Raleigh): Widen to a multi-lane facility along Tryon Road from Cary Parkway to US 70-401. (The middle portion of this section of Tryon Road from Dillard Drive to Lake Wheeler Road is planned for widening as part of the Raleigh Road Bond package approved last year.) This is a major east-west route serving the growth area between Cary and Garner, south of Raleigh. Turning lanes have been added recently at some major intersections along Tryon Road (e.g., Yates Mill Pond and Avent Ferry Roads). However, the carrying capacity of Tryon Road is still severely limited, especially at peak commuting times when there is an extensive wait for traffic entering Tryon Road.


Public Transportation

Wake County's adopted Comprehensive Plan Transportation Goals and Objectives encourage the provision and use of alternatives to single-occupant driving by supporting an accessible and affordable multi-modal regional public transportation system, including fixed guideway and conventional transit, high occupancy vehicle lanes, van- and car-pooling, plus park-and-ride lots.

Triangle Transit Authority’s Recommendations call for the expansion of the Regional Bus Service and development of a Regional Rail system using self-propelled diesel cars. Full implementation of this plan will provide time competitive transit options in most congested corridors. As Wake County's population continues to grow, we find it more difficult to get to and from home, work, shopping and school. Building more and wider highways, alone, will not solve traffic congestion. As is stated in Wake County's adopted Goal for Transportation, we need an accessible, efficient, and balanced multi-modal transportation system that promotes economic opportunities and is consistent with and complements the environment and nearby land uses in order to enhance individual mobility.


Railroad Crossings

We recommend that unsignalized railroad crossings near existing public school sites be included in the 2002-2008 TIP. The installation of automatic warning devices at unsignalized railroad crossings which are particularly utilized by traffic from public school sites are needed to help facilitate safe movement.

Wake County wants to emphasize the importance it places on the safety of the traveling public, and the safety of our school children. It is for these reasons that we want to see more money available for safety improvements to all dangerous railroad/roadway grade crossings in Wake County, even if that means delaying one or more roadway construction projects.


Pedestrian Enhancement Projects - Sidewalks:

We recommend sidewalk construction to the following public school sites. These sites serve a large number of students and have been identified as having a critical need for sidewalks.
Installation of sidewalks to the various school sites would help facilitate safe and convenient pedestrian access and help reduce the strain on an already overtaxed school transportation system.
The walking distance of schools is within a 1.5 mile radius.



School Segment needing sidewalk construction

1. Lead Mine Elementary Along Old Lead Mine Road, from Prince George Lane to school. (1,600 ft.)

2. Durant Road Elementary & Middle Along Durant Road, from middle school site to Leslieshire Drive. (6,504 ft.)

3. Baileywick Elementary & Park Along Baileywick Road from Brookfield Road to the YMCA North. (8,190 ft.)

4. Brassfield Elementary Along Honeycutt Road, from Brassfield Road to Coachman's
Way. (4,334 ft.)

5. Hodge Road Elementary Along Hodge Road from Lynnwood Drive to school (see Railroad Crossings). (2,547 ft.)

6. Hilburn Drive Elementary Along Leesville Road from Country Trail to Glendowner Road, Pleasant Pines Drive and Pleasant Grove Church Road.

7. Fox Road Elementary Along Fox Road, from Spring Forest to Louisburg Road.

8. Holly Springs Area Elementary School Along Raleigh Street, from North Main Street to Holly Springs Road.

9. Oak Grove Elementary (E. Penny Rd.) Along Kildaire Farm, Penny and Holly Springs Roads.

10. Southeast High School Along Rock Quarry and Creech Roads to
the new school.




RECOMMENDATION

The objective of the requested TIP projects is to improve the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of North Carolina's transportation system and public transportation services. The projects recommended for the 2002-2008 TIP listed above will help many travel needs within the County and we recommend that the Board of Commissioners approve Wake County’s TIP request for 2002-2008. The County Commissioners will consider the TIP request at their meeting on October 18, 1999.



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