Agenda - 03-13-2012 - 8d - Laserfiche WebLink

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NC 54/ I-40 CORRIDOR STUDY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TRANSPORTATION-LAND USE MASTER PLAN residents, students and,of course,the commuting public. transportation vision is to promote community livability A vigorous public participation process was employed to by guiding future development into targeted mixed-use guide the development of study recommendations. This areas to reduce trip lengths,enable greater use of non- entailed a series of in-depth focus group discussions with auto travel options and provide location-efficient choices each of the key stakeholder groups (residents and non- for housing and transportation. These areas are within residents alike)early in the project and again once initial VA to 1/2 mile of the four planned light rail stations in the recommendations were nearing completion. In addition, corridor.This will effectively support the investment in rail a series of three public workshops at key milestones passenger service that will strengthen regional and local defined priority issues and opportunities, provided the travel options between the UNC campus,Orange County, basis for creation and evaluation of scenarios, and Durham County and elsewhere in the Triangle Region. enabled participants to react and suggest refinements Over time, the centers help transform the corridor from to draft land use and transportation master plan a drive-by strip into highly accessible, well-connected recommendations. places that function as vibrant focal points serving local and regional needs. These outreach activities were augmented through use of a project web site (http://www.nc54-i4Ocorridorstudy. Land Use Strategy com/) to share information and provide additional opportunities for the community to review materials Figure ES-1 presents the recommended nodal and weigh in with ideas or issues of concern. The DCHC development vision for the corridor. This land use- MPO staff and consultant team also met informally with transportation blueprint embraces livability principles various individuals and groups throughout the study. The that provide more transportation choices, promote recommendations contained in this report are a direct equitable, affordable housing through location and reflection of the input provided over the entire public energy-efficiency, enhance economic competitiveness engagement process. through reliable and timely access to employment, educational opportunities and services, and by Vision for the Corridor supporting existing communities through transit-oriented, mixed-use development that will help safeguard existing Through the study process, analysis and broad-based neighborhoods and preserve rural landscapes. feedback, a vision emerged for a regionally significant multimodal corridor that serves both regional and Table ES-1 shows the proposed height and density local travel through an expanded and more efficient targets for the nodal development plan,which provides network of streets, bus routes, bicycle facilities and the compact, mixed-use framework necessary to create pedestrian enhancements. The integrated land use and a series of vibrant walking districts that enables reliance primarily on non-auto travel modes as they approach build-out of the development program. Master The NC 54 Corridor promotes The creation of highly developed mixed-use centers can .co tion-efficient decisions to help lower help mitigate automobile travel demand by creating combined housing and transportation an environment where walking and access to transit per household. It puts people together, served are priorities. It also provides a mechanism to advance transportation by a more efficient a transportation funding opportunities that are unlikely to enables more trips to be made by walking,bicycling and transit. The plan defines tat-get be available with the status quo or trend development growth areas that help reduce sprawl in pattern. For instance, more intense development at the outlying areas. planned Leigh Village station and other "nodes" along the corridor can provide incentive to obtain mitigation funding from future development to offset transportation costs for the roadway improvements that eventually will DECEMBER 2011 E-3