Agenda - 02-22-1999 - d2b - Laserfiche WebLink

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�8 ". => Lack of debris removal from edge of pavement. Lack of "pave- backs" (of at least 15 feet, see Section I. of the Bicycle Transportation Plan Supplement for diagram) to keep the gravel from driveways and other unpaved accesses from washing out onto paved roads. Insufficient lane widths. Lack of paved shoulders exacerbating the insufficient lane widths. C. Orange County Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and Subdivision Regulations. Each of these documents should be amended to include cycling provisions like those in the Orange County Economic Development District Design (EDD) Manual (see Section J. of the Bicycle Transportation Plan Supplement). The EDD Manual has provisions that recognize bicycle routes and end -of -trip facilities (bike parking racks and storage lockers). Further provisions need to be developed to: a) encourage employers of a certain magnitude and location proximate to a town provide lockers, showers, and changing rooms, and b) provide that residential subdivisions of a certain magnitude and in a proximate location to a town provide suitable street width and off -road connections to adjacent subdivisions and/or recreation trails or parks. These documents should also be amended to insure the integration of this the Bicycle Transportation Component to the Transportation Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan with the Bicycle Recreation Component of Orange County Master Recreation and Parks Plan (currently under development). D. State & Regional Laws, Plans, Programs, and Policies. North Carolina State Law: Ultimate Control of County Road Maintenance and Construction Jurisdiction over the construction and maintenance of public roads in counties, "the exclusive control and management and responsibility for all public roads in the several counties shall be vested in the Department of Transportation" (see NCGS, Chapter 136, Roads and Highways, Article 3- State Highway System, Section 136 -51, page 112). Therefore, most on -road facilities within county jurisdictions are built as incidental projects during new road construction and then maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Although some on -road facilities are constructed as independent projects, these instances are rare. It appears that law does not expressly prohibit counties from constructing and maintaining off - road facilities such as bicycle paths in parks or in public right -of -ways. NCDOT Transportation Improvement Program The State of North Carolina provides funding for the construction of sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and multi -use paths through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The ultimate control over the programming of the State TIP is vested in the North Carolina Board of Transportation. Bicycle facilities can be included in the TIP as incidental design features of a highway project or as independent projects. Independent projects constructed outside of municipalities are rare and usually have strong political support at the state level. Incidental (or ad hoc) bicycle improvements are being constructed although in a piecemeal fashion as road capacity is increased. Therefore, for a road to be improved for cycling it must first have to be improved for motor vehicle traffic. NC DOT Bicycle Policy The North ,Carolina Department of Transportation acknowledges bicycle transportation as "an integral part of the comprehensive transportation system in North Carolina" and formally includes provisions for bicycle travel in highway construction projects (NC DOT Transportation Plan, 1996, page 14). NC DOT also participates in the construction of independent bicycle facility projects through the TIP process. (NC DOT Transportation Plan, 1996, page 19). For a list of criteria for bicycle facilities project selection and the complete NC DOT Bicycle Policy, see Section K. of the Bicycle Transportation Plan Supplement. 10