Agenda - 01-24-2013 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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47 10, 2008. The SHC Vision Plan represents a timely initiative to protect and maximize the mobility and connectivity on a core set of highway corridors throughout North Carolina, while promoting environmental stewardship through maximizing the use of existing facilities to the extent possible, and fostering economic prosperity through the quick and efficient movement of people and goods. The primary purpose of the SHC Vision Plan is to provide a network of high- speed, safe, reliable highways throughout North Carolina. The primary goal to support this purpose is to create a greater consensus towards the development of a genuine vision for each corridor — specifically towards the identification of a desired facility type (Freeway, Expressway, Boulevard, or Thoroughfare) for each corridor. Individual Comprehensive Transportation Plans shall incorporate the long -term vision of each corridor. Refer to Appendix A for contact information. In the development of this plan, travel demand was projected from 2007 to 2035 by two methods. The first method was a trendline analysis based on Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) from 1990 to 2007. AADT data from 2008 and 2009 was available, but due to high gasoline prices and less travel during these years, the data did not match past growth trends. In order to avoid underestimating future travel demand in 2035, data from 2007 was used for projections instead. In addition, local land use plans and growth expectations were used to further refine future growth rates and patterns. The second projection method used the Triangle Regional Model ("TRM V4- 2008," Official Adopted Triangle Regional Model) as a comparison to the growth patterns of the trendline analysis. The Triangle Regional Model (TRM) is a tool that was developed for understanding how future growth in the region impacts transportation facilities and services. The TRM can help identify the location and scale of future transportation problems, and proposed solutions to those problems can be tested using the TRM. The projections of the TRM utilized for this comparison were found to be consistent with the trendline AADT data projections. The above two methods were used to establish growth rates for studied roadways, ranging between 1.0% and 3.0 %. The final growth rates were used to project 2007 AADT data to the 2035 horizon year, and this data was endorsed by the Orange County Board of Commissioners on May 17, 2011. Refer to Figure 2 for the Growth Rate Map. Existing and future travel demand is compared to existing roadway capacities. Capacity deficiencies occur when the traffic volume of a roadway exceeds the roadway's capacity. Roadways are considered near capacity when the traffic volume is at least eighty percent of the capacity. The planning area contained no capacity deficiencies in the existing conditions. Refer to Figure 3 for future capacity deficiencies. Capacity is the maximum number of vehicles which have a "reasonable expectation" of passing over a given section of roadway, during a given time period under prevailing roadway and traffic conditions. Many factors contribute to the capacity of a roadway including the following: 1 -2