Agenda - 04-23-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

13 1 Jahmal M. Pullen, PE. Infrastructure Engineering Manager with the NCDOT Rail 2 Division, introduced himself and several other staff members. He gave a brief background and 3 said they were awarded money three years ago to improve the line from Raleigh to Charlotte. 4 He said these funds will be used to replace bridges and consolidate crossings, and one of the 5 main goals is to improve safety along this corridor. He said the private crossing projects is a 6 very unique and is allowed through the federal program. He said studies were done several 7 years ago and funding was applied for. Those funds of over 500 million dollar are now 8 available for those projects. He said there are 12 bridges being built and 30 miles of double 9 track. He said they would like to provide another access point to a crossing that has a bridge or 10 arms and lights. He noted that many of these private crossing don't warrant safety features 11 because of the lack of traffic. He said the funds allow creation of alternate access to safer 12 crossings, but this money is part of a time sensitive federal grant and needs to be used by 13 September 2017, which is the reason for the process happening now. He said the projects need 14 to be constructed and paid out prior to that September 2017 deadline. He noted that these 15 three private crossing projects are early in the federally mandated process. He said that if it 16 turns out there are no good alternatives then the project will not be pursued. He noted the 17 various meetings and hearings scheduled to hear and address concerns. 18 Chair Jacobs said Abigail Pittman's letter addressed many concerns of the citizens. He 19 noted that during the public meetings, the NCDOT consultants didn't seem to know the correct 20 standards and were giving erroneous information to the citizens. He said that the citizens need 21 to know accurate standards for things like travel lane requirements that impact people's 22 property. 23 Jahmal Pullen said there will be an effort to correct this and he noted that people will get 24 confused about the travel lane and how much right of way is outside of the paved area to 25 maintain the ditch. 26 Chair Jacobs said that there is a huge difference for people whose yards are affected 27 and it is important to make the impacts clear as early as possible. 28 Mr. Pullen said this issue also depends on whether the area in question is a state 29 maintained road or not. 30 Daniel L. Havener, PE, Project Engineer, NCDOT — Planning and Development said the 31 initial plan on Byrdesville was to take the state maintained road to the limits of the Byrdsville 32 property and at that point and at that point the existing roads would be improved, patched and 33 overlaid, but the roads within Byrdsville would not necessarily be taken into the state system. 34 He said that the community meeting feedback was that the residents would like the main road 35 to be included in the state system and this may have created the misunderstanding about right- 36 of-way widths. 37 Jahmal Pullen said this will all be part of the discussion with the division office. He also 38 noted that he would leave a 2 page handout with background on next steps and benefits, and 39 he reviewed these access benefits for emergency services transportation and safety. 40 Chair Jacobs asked if these would be distributed at the information meetings or if the 41 Board should post a copy on the website. 42 Jahmal Pullen said an electronic copy will be provided and if an email list is provided, 43 the information can be sent that way as well. 44 45 Marsh Carroll said the mail is sufficient and requested the information be sent by mail 46 and not electronically. 47 48 Commissioner McKee said he has the same impression as Chair Jacobs from these 49 public meetings regarding the different interpretations and information being presented. He