Agenda 03-21-2017-12-2 - Information Item - Memo Regarding Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan Next Steps

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INFORMATION ITEM 1 PLANNING & INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT Craig N. Benedict, AICP, Director Comprehensive Planning 131 W. Margaret Lane (919) 245-2575 Suite 201 (919) 644-3002 (FAX) OR " � w„ VU a P. O. Box 8181 www.orangecountync.gov ml nC .” :ARO1 I N M Hillsborough, NC 27278 lair fr'ir/. r7l � kk;1(�r 1%0 y1117 I l�nr!.0.„a y. v lt o,r 111IV ,h r+ r A (i6 A ” 411 4 d� MPI ; I Pigl "11 N )P„„ 111' IL uuN�r �IIV��IuA +ulll� 10 I�" ,rr MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Abigaile Pittman, Transportation/Land Use Planner CC: Craig Benedict, Planning & Inspections Director DATE: March 21, 2017 SUBJECT: INFORMATION ITEM — Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan Next Steps ATTACHED: OUTBoard SRTS Plan Next Steps Resolution 03-01-2017 A SRTS Plan Update from Planning Staff was a BOCC information item on its September 6, 2016 meeting agenda to convey plan implementation challenges. Since that time, the OUTBoard has, over the course of four meetings from September 2016 to January 2017, received presentations from representatives of the Walkable Hillsborough Coalition regarding the group's support for moving forward with the following SRTS Plan projects associated with Grady Brown Elementary School and Cedar Ridge High School: • Sidewalks along Orange Grove Road from Churton Street to Grady Brown Road; • Improving safety on the 1-40 bridge side railings, which are approximately 30 inches high in non-conformity with current federal code guidelines of 42 inches for bridge structures; • Crosswalks on Grady Brown Road and on Orange Grove Road; • Flashing light(s) along Orange Grove Road at critical intersections; • Pursuing a local match for Federal funding; and • Clearly identifying next steps. The OUTBoard has unanimously supported the projects and requested Planning Staff to provide possible next steps at its March 01, 2017 meeting. Since late summer of 2016 Walkable Hillsborough has also been in the discussions with NCDOT, the Town of Hillsborough, Orange County Schools, and the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) regarding collaborative options for identifying specific Plan projects and taking next steps towards implementation. At its March 1 meeting the OUTBoard identified and discussed a number of actions that can feasibly be undertaken at this time relative to the SRTS Plan. The Board approved a resolution (attached) with recommended next steps.