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195 <br /> RURAL BUFFER IMPLEMENTATION MEASURE <br /> Thoroughfare Planning <br /> Descri2tion <br /> Thoroughfare planning is a major element of a comprehen- <br /> sive planning program. An adopted thoroughfare plan is an <br /> important guide to the development of a highway system that <br /> is consistent with changing land use demands. The major <br /> purpose of a thoroughfare plan is to assess the capacity of <br /> the existing highway system in terms of future development <br /> requirements. The thoroughfare plan therefore becomes a <br /> statement of the intent to provide for the demands of future <br /> development . <br /> The Chapel Hill/Carrboro Thoroughfare Plan study area <br /> includes the eastern half of the University Lake Watershed <br /> which is in the rural buffer and a portion of the rural_ <br /> buffer roughly between I-40 and Whitfield Road. The 'study <br /> area for the proposed Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan includes <br /> a small portion of the rural buffer around Davis Road. The <br /> balance, and largest portion of the rural buffer, is covered <br /> by the Statewide Thoroughfare Planning activity of N.C. <br /> Department of Transportation. In sum, thoroughfare plans <br /> which involve the rural buffer contain three long range <br /> highway projects which are located in the rural buffer CI-40 <br /> not included since it is under construction) : 1) extension <br /> of Homestead Road to NC 54, 2) extension of Davis Road from <br /> Old 86 to NC 86, and 3) widening of NC 86 between I-40 and I- <br /> 85. As Long term projects they are not currently scheduled <br /> for construction, but are expected to be constructed during <br /> the next 20 years. <br /> Apglication <br /> Thoroughfare planning activity, which through several. <br /> plans covers the entire rural buffer, indicate that the <br /> existing highway network is expected to handle the needs of <br /> both existing development and development that is expected to <br /> occur in the next 20 years with few additional facilities. <br /> That is a very strong statement saying that provisions are <br /> not being made to handle traffic generated by large scale <br /> development in the rural buffer. <br /> Refer2OCes <br /> Chapel Hill-Carrboro Thoroughfare Plan <br /> Orange County-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Joint Planning Land <br /> Use Plan <br /> Proposed Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan <br />