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Memo to Dr. Gordon <br />June 17, 1992 <br />Page 2 <br />3. Erosion control measures (BMPs to be exact) is one <br />of the key reasons a joint DOT, Town, and County hearing on <br />I -85 widening has been proposed. If this hearing takes <br />place, it would seem to provide an excellent forum for the <br />presentation of such issues. <br />B. 15 -501 Widening (I touched base with David Bonk and have <br />summarized his responses below) <br />1. The current alignment of Jack Bennett is <br />inconvenient (and indif�ect) for people going to RTP. <br />Modeling work done by DOT showed a significantly higher <br />number of vehicles using - the -road if it were extended as <br />opposed to utilizing the current alignment. He said he saw <br />two extremes regarding the road; either keep as it is or do <br />the extension. He was not sure there was any middle ground <br />for a compromise solution. <br />2. David said he thought dividing the.project up into <br />segments was clearly an option. Also, a and b seemed to be <br />reasonable in terms of staging. He was opposed to widening <br />the section in Orange County, however. At the County line, <br />he agreed that traffic going to RTP would use 15 -501. How <br />much of it would be taking Smith Level Road to Carrboro or <br />points west was hard to say. <br />3. David thought another park- and -ride lot could be <br />placed further south than the one currently planned. <br />However, he said if it was too far south, it would create <br />significant operational costs,for the transit system serving <br />it. He also thought the issue.of substituting for the <br />current lot is dead since design money has already been spent <br />on it and the Feds say they will not expend any additional <br />funds. <br />4. David thought that if 15 -501 were widened, it would <br />tend to make northern Chatham more attractive and increase <br />the flow of vehicles from there going to RTP and other <br />points to the east. This could result in the by -pass <br />becoming more congested. He felt that if Jack Bennett Road <br />were not extended in conjunction with the 15 --501 widening, <br />then increasing traffic would put more pressure on having the <br />Laurel Hill Parkway. <br />DK9:AG6- 17.DOC <br />7 <br />