OUTBoard minutes 081617 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Approved 9/20/2017 738 Abigaile Pittman said the slogan must be used because it was officially approved by the Bicycle Safety Task Force 739 and the OUTBoard. She said that in her meeting with she went over recommended preferred messaging and also 740 unfavorable messaging. Pittman started a brief discussion on best meeting times and subcommittee members gave 741 initial feedback. 742 743 Abigaile Pittman noted that she had raised the Task Force's concern about not wanting people to use Facebook to 744 make contentious remarks and comments in posts, so the media staff suggested doing a Facebook ad that connects 745 to the subcommittee's website. She concluded this update. 746 747 7.A. MEBANE TRAFFIC SEPARATION STUDY (TSS) 748 749 Abigaile Pittman reviewed the abstract (see page 27 in the packet). This study is being conducted by the Rail 750 Division of NCDOT, City of Mebane, and Norfolk Southern Rail line. They retained a private consultant to do the 751 study which examines eight highway at -grade railroad crossings, two of which are in Orange County: (1) Mattress 752 Factory Road and (2) Buckhorn Road. The purpose of a traffic separation study purpose is to improve safety. She 753 went over some of the methods described in the abstract and slide presentation. The consultant said that there was 754 nothing that they could recommend for the crossing at Mattress Factory Road because the distance to the nearest 755 intersection was too close to get over and back down safely. For Buckhorn Road, the consultant recommended three 756 options (Ms. Pittman passed around a graphic showing the options and then went over the options). Option 1 showed 757 a grade separation at Buckhorn Road in connection with a new road over the railroad to US 70. Option 2 showed a 758 grade separation with a roundabout at Buckhorn Road and Industrial Drive and connection to South Frazier Road. 759 Option 3 showed a grade separation with a roundabout and a new road connecting US 70 not lining -up with Frazier 760 Road. Orange County Transportation Planning Staff was consulted for a courtesy review and comments. Staff 761 preferred Option 2 but did not like the roundabout. Staff supported Option 2 for the following reasons: alignment 762 shown in Option 2 with Frazier Road is consistent with the County's road alignment concepts through this area as 763 supported by the Buckhorn - Efland- Mebane Access Management Plan; could include traffic lights in concert with the 764 alignment on US 70; and that direct routes around the western side of Efland are important. There is also a big 765 problem around Mount Willing Road and Buckhorn Road with trucks getting off the interstate and going through the 766 area to head towards north or to avoid the weigh station on the highway. The alignment shown in Option 2 is good for 767 moving trucks through here; however, Staff recommended that the Buckhorn Road and Industrial Drive design be a 768 cross intersection with turn lanes, not a roundabout. There is too short of a distance to the interchange ramps to 769 accommodate a roundabout for trucks to go around. 770 771 Jenn Sykes said that a roundabout sounded like a disaster. 772 773 Heidi Perry asked a question if traffic calming would help the situation since vehicles would be getting off the 774 intersection anyway. 775 776 Abigaile Pittman said that Staff thought that these vehicles need to be managed with a light and turn lanes, not 777 directing them straight into a roundabout. With a roundabout, trucks would be backed up to the interchange ramps. 778 779 Heidi Perry asked Ms. Pittman if she could remind her why the intersection is being improved. 780 781 Abigaile Pittman answered that this traffic separation study is in -line with the state's future goals of doing higher 782 speed trains in the future. Ms. Pittman reminded the Board of work on private crossing closures in the last several 783 years in the eastern part of the County around Old NC 10 (three of them), straightening curves, etc. All of this work is 784 in preparation for higher speed trains coming through the area, thus the state needs to improve safety along the rail 785 line. 786 787 Heidi Perry asked why this could not be done with the arms at railroad crossings. 788 789 Abigaile Pittman answered that in some cases this can be done but they also need to straighten -out some of the 790 curves and allow for trains to continue at higher speeds safely. 15