Agenda - 05-01-2012 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

19 Durham-Orange Alternate 6 is another corridor segment that ranked well. This corridor is 10 miles from Gateway (east of Blue Cross-Blue Shield) to Alston Avenue estimated at $750 million dollars (9/24/10). However, this alternate does not enter Orange County. Alignment Orange County staff agrees that the alignment near the southern terminus of the corridor near UNC should be UNC(D) station. The alignment would allow for future LRT or BRT expansion to the west into Carrboro. Other alignments closer to UNC hospital created more dead-end scenarios, (Attachment C) Orange County staff notes that two alignment options near and east of the Friday Center known as C-1 (through Meadowmont) and C-2 (along the south side of NC 54 past future Hillmont) are both challenging alignments from environmental, cost and traffic standpoints. C-1 has invoked strong community concerns, as well as from DENR, in regards to the traversing of Jordan Lake federal environmental lands. C-2 would be preferable to move forward since it parallels NC 54 right-of-way. (Attachment D) NC 54 is scheduled to be widened within this transit program planning horizon and fixed guideway corridors or lanes should be part of design and highway investment. The farther this NC 54 alignment can continue further to the east towards 1-40 and Durham County based redevelopment opportunities at Falconbridge Shopping Center, the greater potential to reduce traffic on NC 54 by creating a travel mode shift from car to LRT, if the corresponding park and ride (P&R) lots can be created. If the appropriately sized P&R lots cannot be found in this corridor, then BRT is a better alternative to pick up passengers in the 1-40/751/Southpoint and/or NC 54/Woodcroft park and ride areas with direct transport to UNC area via the protected and reserved BRT fixed guideway or mixed where necessary corridor. Irrespective of the challenges noted with alignments C-1 and C-2, Orange County staff believes that another alignment should also be studied within the existing corridor study area. The study area presently includes socioeconomic data and traffic data along US 15-501 which could be an alternate route between Hamilton Station area (roughly Fordham and NC 54) and Gateway Station. This research may be a prudent alternate knowing the risk assessment plan (part of the New Starts application) and upcoming draft environmental impact study (DEIS)/NEPA review often values alternate proposals to achieve a balance of mobility, environmental, economic development, land use, financial and community inputs and aspects. In any event, whether C-1 or C-2 is eventually approved for LRT or BRT, this 15-501 analysis could be used to support future public transit investments within Orange County. These investments could provide both economic development return, additional retail service opportunities and public transit for nearby citizens and businesses within Orange County. Bolstering the need to analyze 15-501 is the attached monograph prepared by Orange County staff from information noted in the URS Purpose and Need Report of 12/9/10 (Attachment E1 & K As a comparable note, the section of US 15-501 within Durham County has a planned corridor alignment that is parallel but offset southeasterly from 15-501 within neighborhood and business areas. This alignment has been requested to be analyzed and possibly moved closer to right-of- way of 15-501. Technology— (Whether LRT, BRT— High or BRT—Low)