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January 21, 2015 Attachment C g <br />o Dedicated BRT lanes - the area has been identified as a candidate for <br />high -order Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). <br />Walkability <br />• The study area is not independently walkable, i.e., there are not people <br />living within walking distance. <br />• There is not a lot of new housing development in the area to bring <br />shoppers. <br />Multi -modal Aspects <br />o Transportation needs to the Study Area relate to existing and proposed <br />traffic associated with the development concepts for the project, including <br />multi -modal aspects (bike and pedestrian). <br />F. Planned Roadway Improvements and General Comments in the Study Area <br />Positive The Fordham Blvd (US 15 -501) corridor is congested with volume to <br />capacity ratios indicative of the need for investment and this project <br />proposes improvements. <br />Positive Improvements are typically funded through the Durham - Chapel Hill <br />MPO and some of these improvements are programmed. <br />Positive The MPO has recently (Wednesday, November 12, 2014) approved <br />an amendment to the transportation CIP to include a $2.17 million <br />Ephesus - Fordham intersection improvement which will permit <br />eventual reimbursement for earlier improvements. This would <br />reduce the $8.8 million road improvement program to a $6.63 million <br />loan amount after a few years (2018? reimbursement) and decrease <br />debt service. The overall road project may still be $8.8 million but <br />from other sources besides the loan. The Ephesus - Fordham $10 <br />million project ($8.8 million road, $1.2 million stormwater) graphs do <br />not reflect this change at this time. <br />Negative Funding for roads is not a county function, however, participation in <br />the prioritization of MPO projects that matriculate into the State TIP <br />is. Orange County can also participate during the development of a <br />project as discussions with NCDOT evolve so we can help with multi - <br />county comprehensive transportation priorities and agreements. <br />Positive If this mixed use project is a focal point for both residential and retail, <br />a reasonable amount of internal trip capture will decrease typical <br />external trip generation. <br />Negative Could the Ephesus - Fordham project include stronger bus transit <br />attributes (such as future bus transit hubs) to assist in <br />downtown /college area integration (i.e. cross town shopping). <br />K <br />