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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 13, 2012 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No.� <br />SUBJECT: NC 54/1 -40 Corridor Stud <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />1. Corridor Study Table of Contents INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />2. Corridor Study Executive Summary Craig Benedict, 245 -2592 <br />(Under Separate Cover) Tom Altieri, 245 -2579 <br />3. Draft Letter Conveying BOCC Comments Darcy Zorio, 245 -2582 <br />PURPOSE: To provide comments to Durham — Chapel Hill — Carrboro Metropolitan Planning <br />Organization (DCHC MPO) on the NC54/1 -40 Corridor Study. <br />BACKGROUND: The BOCC heard a presentation on the NC54/1 -40 Corridor Study at its <br />February 21, 2012 meeting. <br />What is the purpose of the study? <br />The purpose of the study is to analyze short-term and long -term land use issues and multi - <br />modal transportation problems, evaluate opportunities and challenges, and recommend short <br />and long -range land use and transportation solutions and strategies along the corridor. <br />Why is this study important? <br />The NC 54 corridor serves as one of the major gateways between Chapel Hill and southwest <br />Durham, and its interchange with 1 -40 has consistently ranked as one of the top congested <br />locations in the region. Development pressures within the corridor coupled with mobility and <br />capacity issues have illuminated the concern that the existing and planned transportation <br />infrastructure in this area is insufficient to accommodate growth and to address land use and <br />transportation problems. Short and long -range solutions are needed to preserve this important <br />corridor. <br />What are the study objectives? <br />The vision of the Durham - Chapel Hill- Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC <br />MPO) is to develop and implement transportation plans that are multimodal and that fully <br />integrate land use and transportation issues. To achieve this vision this study will: <br />• Clearly define a realistic "blueprint" for an integrated growth and mobility strategy for the <br />corridor <br />• Establish a development framework that strengthens multimodal travel options and <br />reduces vehicle miles of travel <br />• Improve operations, safety, and travel time <br />• Categorize strategies into near, mid -term, and long -term phases <br />