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7 <br /> 2. The Status of Area Thoroughfare Plans and the Process for <br /> Adopting and Amending Them <br /> Best asked Rogers to explain the process of thoroughfare <br /> plan approval. Rogers stated that DOT would like for each <br /> local government to endorse the thoroughfare plan for their <br /> areas of jurisdiction. He emphasized that DOT encouraged the <br /> participation of everyone involved to attain as much <br /> consensus as possible, but stated that it was not required <br /> that a county adopt municipal plans. Norwood stated that <br /> North Carolina General Statutes require DOT to work directly <br /> with municipalities for areas that will urbanize in twenty <br /> years . In reference to the Hillsborough Plan he stated that <br /> there were some provisions that apparently didn't reflect <br /> County opinion. It was his hope that Hillsborough and Orange <br /> County could get together and work out their differences . <br /> Best asked how DOT uses public input in the thoroughfare <br /> planning process and if there would be any changes in the <br /> Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro (DCHC) Plan before Orange <br /> County was asked to make a decision on it. Rogers stated <br /> that the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) had <br /> requested that before any changes were made in the DCHC Plan, <br /> they would like for Orange County to have a public hearing <br /> and comment on the plan. Best asked Rogers if public hearing <br /> comments were reflected in the plan. Rogers stated that <br /> public hearing comments were part of the documentation <br /> accompanying the plan. Norwood emphasized that the comments <br /> were available for policy boards to review. <br /> Best then asked about changing priorities in adopted <br /> thoroughfare plans, in particular the changed status of <br /> Elizabeth Brady Road in the Hillsborough Plan. Norwood <br /> stated that the map is the plan; priorities reflect DOT and <br /> town judgement and can change from one year to the next. <br /> Best asked if his understanding was correct in that a plan <br /> (map) with certain priorities was adopted and then the <br /> priorities could be changed. Norwood affirmed this and <br /> stated that the annual Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) <br /> hearings provided the forum for changes in priorities. <br /> Phillip Whitaker stated that priorities were not an "end-all" <br /> in one step. The first step may be road widening, the second <br /> a new bridge, etc. You have to do what you can with the <br /> available funding to get the most value for the money. You <br /> are working toward a thoroughfare plan, but you can't get it <br /> all at once; the process is incremental. <br /> Jacobs asked if Hillsborough had a public hearing <br /> process for changing priorities in the case of West Hill <br /> Avenue. Whitaker stated that a hearing was not required. He <br /> said that DOT informed them that approximately $300, 000 was <br /> available and asked for a town recommendation on where it <br /> could be spent most effectively in the context of <br /> improvements specified in the Hillsborough Thoroughfare Plan. <br />