Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
2 <br />Upon review of the DCHC MPOdraft Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) On-Road Bicycle <br />Facilities Map (Attachment 1) staff noted that asegment of St. Mary’s Road between US 70 <br />Bypass and the Durham County line was identified as a Regional Bicycle Facility. The Planning <br />staff asked that this designation be removed in favor of a preferred alternative consistent with <br />Orange County’s and the Town of Hillsborough’s approved bicycle routes (Attachments 2, 3, 4 <br />and 5). In response, the DCHC TAC opted to: “Maintain St. Mary’s Road as a regional bicycle <br />route in the MTP for the time being. As part of the DCHC MPO Comprehensive Transportation <br />Plan (CTP), review other regional route alternativesto St. Mary’s Road. If a route other than St. <br />Mary’s Road is selected, amend the MTP to reflect the preferred regional route.” <br />REVIEW OF EXISTING APPROVED ALTERNATE ROUTES:Orange County/NCDOT and <br />Town of Hillsborough bicycle related plans are summarized below. Together, these plans <br />support an alternate route utilizing New Sharon Church Road and Guess Road to connect <br />northern Durham to Hillsborough. <br />NCDOT/Orange County <br />The 2010 Orange County/NCDOT Bicycle Map (Attachment 3), reviewedand recommended by <br />the OUTBoard, and approved by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) supports a route <br />other thanSt. Mary’s to connect northern Durham to Hillsborough.The map depictsSt. Mary’s <br />Road to New SharonChurchRoad, toGuess Road, to the County line. <br />The Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) prepared by NCDOT for rural Orange County <br />was reviewed and recommended by the OUTBoard and approved by the BOCC in March. The <br />approved CTP Bicycle Map (Attachment 4) depicts a bicycle route along New SharonChurch <br />Road. <br />Town of Hillsborough <br />In 2009 the Town of Hillsborough adopted a Bike Lane and Recommendations Map as part of <br />its Community Connectivity Plan (Attachment 5). The Town’s map supports a route other than <br />St. Mary’s to connect northern Durham to Hillsborough. The map depictsSt. Mary’s Road to <br />New SharonChurchRoad(which would then connect to Guess Road and then to the County <br />line). <br />OUTBOARD ACTION:It is the OUTBoard’s prerogative to review and comment on the DCHC <br />MPO’s designation of St. Mary’s Road as a regional bicycle route from Hillsborough to <br />downtown Durham. The staff requests that the OUTBoard provide input to MPO staffconsistent <br />with previously approved Orange County/NCDOT and Town of Hillsborough bicycle maps. <br />10