Agenda - 10-05-94-X-D - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. PROJECTS IN ORANGE COUNTY OUTSIDE OF THE URBANIZED AREA BOUNDARY Orange County would like to give priority to identified safety needs on existing roads and bridges and to other transportation projects which foster alternatives to automobile travel. The County also endorses environmentally responsible construction of all transportation projects. Finally, the County supports adequate maintenance for existing transportation facilities. I. I-85 Widening Projects A) I-304 and I-305 - Best Management Practices (BMP's) for Erosion Control during and after widening construction of both portions of I-85. Last year the Orange County Board of Commissioners requested a line item in the TIP for funding of BMP's for both I-85 widening projects. The construction contract for I-304 has been awarded and is scheduled to begin on September 27, 1993. NCDOT Division 7 officials and the contract engineer met with State and County Erosion Control Officers, the County Engineer, and the County Transportation Planner on September 21, 1993 to physically evaluate erosion control measures _ ._. needed on the I-304 project limits. This meeting represents a cooperative effort between NCDOT and the County and we request these efforts continue until completion of both projects. Among other concerns, the County desires input into the erosion control measures in order to ensure optimal protection of the Sevenmile Creek watershed, a possible future water source. The Upper Eno watershed, of which Sevenmile Creek is a sub-basin, has been designated a WS-II watershed, thus the county is committed to protect the water quality by working with NCDOT to implement the strongest protection measures available. B) I-305 - widening of I-85 to six lanes and reconstruction of interchanges from- __ Orange Grove Road to Durham County Line 1) Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities - Orange County has worked over the -- last year with the MPO to produce the Regional Bicycle Plan for Durham and Orange Counties. This plan represents the first such study to identify both rural and urban bicycle needs for one region. An element of the plan is to provide pedestrian and bicycle facilities at interchanges of major highways. Some of Orange County's major commuter roads that -- - interchange with I-85 include NC 86, Old NC 86 (SR 1009), and US 70.— ------ -- These facilities are often used for bicycle and pedestrian travel as well, and the County requests that accommodations be made for these two alternate modes of travel when designing and constructing the I-85 widening. Features requested for inclusion are sidewalks, bike lanes, and _ adequate guardrails on overpasses. 2) I-305 Wildlife Corridor Under I-85 - In 1993 the Orange County Planning Department, in conjunction with the UNC Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning compiled a report titled "New