Minutes 02-21-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner McKee said at the public information meetings held for the residents, DOT was giving out erroneous and contradictory information regarding possible roads to be used for alternative access. Margaret Hauth said she heard similar feedback from attendees at the first meeting and this was the reason for a request for specific data counts to assess true impact on the citizens. Abigaile Pittman said she had seen this same issue at a previous closing and a traffic study was requested. Chair Jacobs questioned how traffic would detour if both crossings were closed in West Hillsborough. Margaret Hauth said the agreement was that if either of the crossings were closed or modified, then mitigation funds could be brought forward for real improvements to the trestle. If agreement cannot be reached on an action plan then those funds would not be triggered. She said she has not seen, even a rendering yet of what those funds might produce. Craig Benedict said another joint planning effort between Orange County and Hillsborough is the Orange Grove Road master plan and the crossing that goes into the mobile home park there has been mentioned. He said planning has gone on between Hillsborough and Orange County and now if DOT plans to close a crossing, there will also need to be assistance with re-routing. He said this re-routing may include an Orange Grove Road extension. He said that the discussion in the meetings stressed that the residents affected are both Orange County and Hillsborough residents and the big picture needs to be considered. He also said that, on the west side of Hillsborough, the Eno Mountain Bridge needs to be used. He said that if you use a western bypass, you can't go to the north side of the Eno and not take it anywhere. He said there needs to be a furtherance of the Eno Crossing. Chair Jacobs said there had been discussion of connecting Mayo Street to Eno Mountain Road to allow a bypass of Hillsborough to reduce downtown traffic. He noted that if the crossings were closed, this option would be eliminated. Margaret Hauth said the bridge over the Eno is not angled to allow a convenient connection to West Hill Ave and would have to be connected somewhere else, thus putting the trestle in play. Abigaile Pittman said that the larger picture is at play in the discussions of several of the crossing closings, especially Greenbrier and the connectivity with other plans in the area. She said that the response that is heard consistently says DOT needs to work with the larger picture. Town Commissioner Lloyd said if they were to close the West Hill Avenue or Bellevue, it would be impossible to get through those routes and she said that the fire department and EMS would object. Chair Jacobs said Congressman Coble, who is on the House Transportation Committee, represents Eno Township, where the entry change is located for I-85, and most of the widening east of Hillsborough is in his Congressional District. Chair Jacobs said that perhaps he would be a source of help for some of these issues in the future. 2. Transit a) Update on Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan (OCBRIP) Implementation Craig Benedict said Orange County invested in this bus and rail investment plan last year through the approval of the half cent sales tax and that plan was part of a document approved by the MPO. He said this set forth that the money would be spent for a light rail system from the hospital, out 54, up I-40 and 15-501 into Duke University and around to North Carolina Central. He said a bus service with 40,000 hours was also included, with 34,000 hours in the first five years. He noted that 34,000 hours of service equates to 10 or 11 new buses with 2,000 to 3,000 hours per bus route.