Agenda - 05-15-1990 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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efficiently and safely. The recommended alignment would require acquisition of University Lights and would impact several other businesses along the frontage road north of US 15 -501 to a lesser extent. Other issues regarding the location of this interchange are discussed in the preceding section on Farrington Road. Comments: The owners of businesses in the US 15 -501 - Pope Road -Mount Moriah Road area have voiced concern over the recommended interchange and its location. They generally feel that new development should not be allowed to destroy existing businesses, and have asked the staff to study alternate locations for the interchange which will not adversely impact their businesses. Response: Alternate designs for this interchange have been prepared by the City of Durham Traffic Engineering Division, but all workable designs identified have similar impacts and the recommended alignment provides the best horizontal and vertical design. Any significant additional development in this area with at -grade access to US 15 -501 will cause intolerable congestion and hurt all parties including existing businesses. JACK BENNETT ROAD - US 15 -501 TO FARRINGTON ROAD Background: This proposal is for a relief facility to US 15 -501 to provide access for Chatham County to Durham and Research Triangle Park. The general desire for this road is to link US 15 -501 with Farrington Road. The original proposal to accomplish this was to use about three- fourths of existing Jack Bennett Road, and then cross over to Farrington Road using a route that would be on new location. Traffic projections for US 15 -501 show that the volumes would be in excess of the capacity of a four -lane facility that is proposed for US 15 -501. Therefore an additional traffic carrier was sought to move a segment of traffic that would otherwise be using US 15 -501. The Jack Bennett Road proposal is designed to move the traffic on US 15 -501 that is destined for Durham and Research Triangle Park on to an upgraded facility that links Farrington Road and US 15 -501. By accomplishing this, the traffic on US 15 -501 would be reduced significantly enough to be served by a four -lane road. Comments: At a meeting held in Chatham County, this proposal was met with strong opposition. from the residents of Jack Bennett Road and some other residents of upper Chatham County who feel that this road would serve as a southern boundary for Chapel Hill. The prominent comment of the people attending the meeting was that US 15 -501 needed to be widened and that the residents of Upper Chatham County did not want Jack Bennett Road. in response to this opposition, an alternative to Jack Bennett Road was proposed. This was a route south of Jack Bennett Road and would be constructed completely on new location. This option was received as slightly more acceptable.