Agenda - 02-21-2017 - 7-c - Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization Comprehensive Transportation Plan – Comments and Endorsement

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7 Attachment 3 OUTBOARD CHAIR COMMENTS Comments on the Comprehensive Transportation Plan for the DCHC-MPO GENERAL In looking over the recommendations of the CTP, it appears the presumption is that the best way to deal with motor vehicle traffic congestion is by adding more road capacity. While more capacity relieves congestion temporarily, it also attracts more vehicles. If more cars on the road is NOT the solution being sought, either from an air quality viewpoint or as a sustainability view, then other ways of dealing with congestion should be explored. Has NCDOT looked at other methods of finding relief for crowded roads? Congestion charges (which limit traffic in crowded areas), dynamic tolling (which can encourage people to drive outside rush hours, lanes reserved for buses or carpools (which can discourage personal driving and improve traffic flow), and bike facilities and pedestrian facilities (that encourage the use of alternative forms of transportation) are all options to look at before adding traffic lanes. Another reason to look to other solutions is the problem of cost. Adding lanes—especially to interstate highways—is an extremely costly road "improvement." Congestion charges or dynamic tolling, on the other hand, collect money. NCDOT's Mission, according to its website, is: Connecting people, products and places safely and efficiently with customer focus, accountability and environmental sensitivity to enhance the economy and vitality of North Carolina. It says nothing about one mode of travel being more important than another, but by having a scoring system that scores highly when adding travel lanes not designated for buses or high- occupancy vehicles, it seems to be giving single occupancy vehicles and their drivers an advantage over other modes of transport, thereby promoting their use. Would not the mission of the NCDOT be easier to achieve if there were fewer cars on the roads? One more consideration: maintenance. NCDOT already has over 80,000 miles of roadways they must maintain. The maintenance of these roads is important but again, it is costly, and, time-consuming. Bridge maintenance is also crucial and needs to be prioritized. We have roads that are behind on maintenance now, adding more pavement will only add more dollars and more maintenance. When roads are re-paved, resist the urge to widen the car lanes, and instead add wide shoulders that can serve more than one purpose (eg., safe pull-off for a disabled car, space for an emergency vehicle, or a space for bikes to use) Please consider the addition of road lanes for car capacity only after all other options are explored. If additional lanes are necessary, they should be prioritized for HOV and Bus travel.