Orange County NC Website
B. <br />I-305: wideninq of I-85 to six lanes and reconstruction of interchanqes from <br />I-40 at Hillsborouqh to Durham County Line <br />Orange County is opposed to any widening of I-85 through Orange County <br />unless there is a commitment by NCDOT to provide HOV and/or dedicated <br />bus lanes. <br />Orange County requests that its staff be allowed to participate in the planning <br />of the facility. The County is specifically interested in the following <br />infrastructure improvements as they relate to the I-85/US 70 Economic <br />Development District: <br />1. Erosion Control Measures - Orange County requests that permanent <br />erosion control measures be included in the project. <br />2. Landscapinq of Interchanqes - Orange County requests that NCDOT <br />landscape all reconstructed interchanges in an aesthetic manner. <br />3. Pedestrian and Bicvcle Facilities - Orange County requests that its staff be <br />allowed to participate in the determination of where and what type of <br />facilities are to be included in this project. Among the features requested <br />for inclusion are sidewalks and bike lanes (see the Regional Bicvcle Plan <br />for Durham and Oranqe Counties) along roads where interchange <br />improvements are required and adequate guardrails on overpasses. <br />4. Wildlife Corridor Under I-85 (in the vicinity of US70 Interchange) - Orange <br />County requests that its staff be allowed to participate during the planning <br />stage and that this issue be brought to the attention of the NCDOT Staff <br />~ Biologist. Constructing this wildlife corridor is one of the recommendations <br />presented in the "The New Hope Corridor Open Space Master Plan: <br />Proposals for Linking Duke Forest and Eno River State Park." Orange <br />County also requests that NCDOT consult county staff in designing the <br />interchange at US 70 to provide a pedestrian trail under I-85 linking New <br />Hope Creek and the Eno River (New Hope Rustic Woodland Trail <br />proposed as an element of the Lands Legacy Program). <br />5. Intersection of Pleasant Green Road (~R 1567) & Mt Herman Church <br />Road (SR 1713~ - NCDOT Division 7 Traffic Engineers have <br />recommended that this intersection be included as a part of I-305 because <br />of its proximity to the I-85/US 70 interchange. The entire intersection <br />should be realigned so that Pleasant Green Road intersects US 70 at a <br />90-degree angle. <br />6. US 70 from NC 751 to University Station Road (SR 1712~ - Due to the <br />needs of the Pleasant Green Road\US 70 intersection, Orange County <br />requests that US 70, from NC 751 to University Station Road, be <br />upgraded to provide for a suitable transition from/to I-85. An example of <br />