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(least travel-time) to and from employment, shopping, educational and <br /> population centers. Roads of lesser importance are called collectors <br /> because their chief function is to "collect" traffic from large neigh- <br /> borhood and community areas for eventual access onto an arterial or <br /> Interstate. Local roads are the least important roads providing access <br /> to the major road system from smaller service areas in the County. <br /> The arterial highways in Chapel Hill Township are: : N.C. 86, NC. 54, N.C. <br /> 501, N.C. 751, Greensboro Road, Mt. Carmel Church Road, Old N.C. 86, Weaver' <br /> Dairy Road, Erwin Road, Smith Tcwel Road, Jones Ferry Road and Homestead <br /> Rodd.anMhe collector roads include: Efland Cedar Grove Road, Mebane OakA <br /> Road, -Arthur Minnis Road, Buckhorn Road, Mt. Willing Road, West Ten Road, - <br /> Daityland Road, Lebanon Read, Doe Run Road, Mt. Sinai Road, New Hope Church <br /> Road, Whitfield Road, Poythress Road and Damascus Church Road. <br /> Chapel Hill Tbwnship's transportation network connects it to the regional <br /> population centers of Durham, Burlington and Raleigh, as well as to the <br /> Research Triangle Park. The construction of the proposed Interstate 40 <br /> extension would bring these areas within much closer commuting distance <br /> to the Township. This increased convenience of access to such centers <br /> is likely to stimulate new growth pressures in the area of the Township <br /> north and west of Chapel Hill. <br /> Agriculture <br /> Chapel Hill Township is probably experiencing the greatest growth pressures <br /> in the County and the result has been a dramatic rate of farmland conversion <br /> during recent years. Reported Chapel Hill Township cropland, harvested and <br /> idle, diminished by over one-half between the years 1955 and 1977. This <br /> reduction accounted for a decline in the Township cropland base of over <br /> 4,200 acres (Table 3-161 ). <br /> TABLE 3-161 <br /> CHAPEL HILL TOWNSHIP FARMLAND TRENDS 1 <br /> CHANGE <br /> 1955 1977 1955-1977 CHANGE <br /> _ <br /> TOTAL CROPLAND 7,735 ac. 3,531 ac. -4,200 ac. -54.4% <br /> TOTAL PASTURE 3,984 ac. 2,657 ac. -1,300 ac. -33.3% <br /> TOTAL FARMLAND 11,719 ac. 6,188 ac. -5,531 ac. -47.2% <br /> 1SOURCE: N.C. Crop and Livestock Reporting Service; Triangle J Council <br /> of Governments. <br /> However, as shown, the Township pastureland base also decreased, but at <br /> a slower rate of about 27%, representing a loss of 1,300 acres. <br /> Much of this loss msut be assumed to have taken place because of intensive <br /> development pressures within Chapel Hill Township during the past two <br /> decades, as evidenced by the dramatic population growth experienced in the <br />