Minutes 03-19-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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rescheduled to another date. Amy Jeroloman requested that as the Orange County representative, she should at least receive email notification for future projects within the NTAAC. The following items were submitted to the Commissioners on 4/10/2014. We would like an update on each. Our concerns and recommendations are a/so included. 3. Twin Creek Park Site & Road Access to Old NC 86: The NTAAC understands that the Commissioners are proposing a park entrance to Old NC 86 via an existing farm road which straddles the property line between the Ballentine subdivision and the Twin Creek Park Site. (The County's internal working title for this road has been "Twin Creeks Parkway"). This `farm road' is in a dangerous location given the hill just south which limits the sight distance for traffic traveling north on Old NC 86. This hill was brought to the attention of the DOT by the residents of Deer Ridge Drive on or about 2003. It was also brought to the attention of the Commissioners in 2005 and 2006. Only after a 5 year campaign was the funding made available to lower the hill. Nevertheless it still remains a hazard since the DOT could not fully correct the issue. (It is our understanding that there are water pipes under Old 86 which interfere with any additional road corrections.) Keeping the park access in this location will create public safety issues. NTAAC therefore recommends that the park access be moved further north away from this site limiting hill. As you may know, Old NC 86 is the original road to the colonial capital of Hillsborough, North Carolina. This wagon trail has now become a major secondary road where the majority of motorists travel 10 to 20 miles over the 45 mile an hour speed limit. Though the neighborhoods have grown and changed unfortunately this section of Old NC 86 has not. It remains a narrow winding road with blind hills and no shoulders where motorists drive aggressively and routinely exceed the speed limit. In addition deer frequently cross this section of the road. There are no bike lanes and the shoulders are too narrow for pedestrians to use. Motorists traveling north will not see any vehicles, deer, bicyclists, and/or pedestrians entering or exiting the park until they are almost upon them. Recent traffic studies show that there have been accidents long this section of Old NC 86 due to high speeds and deer. Over the years, numerous efforts have been made by NTAAC, with resolutions of support from the Commissioners and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, to petition DOT to reduce the speed limit on this section of Old 86. These requests have been based on logical principles and anecdotal evidence of the high and reckless speeds from cars, motorcycles, large trucks including dump trucks and town buses. Thus far the DOT has chosen not to act on these requests. Years ago Deer Ridge Drive Residents were requested by the postal service to move their mailboxes off Old NC 86 due to the hazard of stopping with limited room to pull over. Other Homeowners along Old NC 86 are also receiving this request. In addition there isn't a shoulder for curb side recycling containers to be placed. This section of the road is especially dangerous to pedestrians and bicyclists alike. The few hundred feet of the road surrounding the proposed park outlet is also very narrow, has deep ditches on both sides of the road, and absolutely no shoulder. (See photo.)