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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />COMMENTS REGARDING THE <br />DRAFT 2006-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM <br />May 17, 2005 <br />ORANGE COUNTY PROJECTS WITHIN <br />THE DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL-GARRBORO <br />METROPOLITAN PLANNING AREA <br />As a member of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning <br />Organization, Orange County will continue to work with the Transportation Advisory <br />Committee (DCHC TAC) to develop the Transportation Improvement Program for the <br />portion of Orange County that lies inside the Metropolitan Area Boundary. Given below <br />are comments on selected projects in Orange County, presented in four sections: (1) <br />Projects Requested by Orange County; (2) Comments on Project U-3808, Elizabeth <br />Brady Road Extension; (3) Comments on Two TIP Projects Initiated by NCDOT; and (4) <br />Comments on Other TIP Projects. <br />I. Projects Requested By Orange County <br />A. SR 1006.Orange Grove Road, at Interstate 40: Construct a pedestrian bridge <br />over I-40. Orange County is gratified that the Draft 2006-2012 STIP includes a <br />feasibility study for this project. Grady Brown Elementary and newly constructed <br />Cedar Ridge High School are located on New Grady Brown School Road that <br />has access from Orange Grove Road south of I-40. The schools are within <br />walking and cycling distance from residential areas north of I-40. Bicyclists and <br />pedestrian must share the roadway with motor vehicles crossing the narrow two- <br />lane bridge that carries Orange Grove Road over Interstate 40. The bridge is too <br />narrow to accommodate a pedestrian walkway. Lack of an adequate pedestrian <br />crossing presents an unsafe environment for students to walk to the schools. <br />B. U-2805: Homestead Road (SR 1777) Improvements: Improve Homestead Road <br />from SR 1834, High School Road, to NC 86. This project should include bicycle <br />and pedestrian facilities. This is an unfunded project in the Draft 2006-2012 <br />STIP. Orange County appreciates NCDOT's cooperation and participation in the <br />Homestead and High School Roads Safety Task Force efforts to obtain <br />sidewalks on the north side of Homestead Road from Camden Lane to Rogers <br />Rd. through the NC Moving Ahead! program. Orange County is also aware that <br />projects funded in the TIP are not eligible for Moving Ahead funds. Although <br />NCDOT has agreed to include the Homestead Road sidewalk in the Moving <br />Ahead program for FY 06, NCDOT has not identified funding for this project. In <br />the case that this project is not funded in the NC Moving Ahead! program for FY <br />06, TIP project U-2805 should be funded and phased so that sidewalks on the <br />north side Homestead Road from Camden Lane to Rogers Road can be <br />constructed as soon as possible. <br />