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12 <br />ATTACHMENT 4 <br />ORANGE COl1NTY COMMISSION FOR'i'HE ENVIRONMENT <br />COMMENTS REGARDING THE <br />DEVELOPMENT OF PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR THE <br />2007 -2013 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM <br />The Commission for the Environment (the Commission) appreciates the opportunity to <br />provide input into the development of Orange County's Priority t_ist for the 2007 - 2013 <br />Transportation Improvement Program, <br />The Commission has two major concerns regarding transportation projects. The first is <br />negative impacts on air and water quality from the increased travel demand provided by <br />projects that increase highway capacity, The second major concern is protection of <br />wildlife corridors. <br />The Commission recommends: <br />1, All highway projects, where appropriate, be designed to accommodate bicycle and <br />pedestrian traffic to provide alternative means of transportation that may result in <br />reduced automobile traffic and related air and water impacts; <br />2. All projects should include any available wildlife mitigation measures - in particular, <br />any projects involving new or replacement bridges should incorporate a bridge <br />design that allows wildlife to cross safely under them, and that allows pedestrian <br />passage along any existing or planned trail-system connectors. <br />3, All landscaping projects use native plants; and <br />4. All interstate projects include noise walls or other means to reduce the effects of <br />traffic noise on residential and other uses located along the corridor.. <br />The Commission endorses the following projects in the current (2004-2010) <br />Transportation Improvement Program: <br />U_-4727• DCHC Land Use and Bicycle/Pedestrian Model Development; <br />U 4728• Durham and Orange County Emissions Inventory <br />All bicycle projects; and <br />Priority List Project for the proposed Orange Grove Road pedestrian bridge <br />over I-40. <br />The fallowing comments address projects that are incorporated in the current (2004- <br />2010) Transportation Improvement Program, <br />U-3808: Elizabeth Brady Road Extension <br />The proposed corridor, discussed for may years, would require a crossing of the Eno <br />River and impact natural areas, the river corridor and several historic properties, <br />The Commission prefers an option that would have no negative impart on the Eno <br />River, but realizes that the "na build" option has limitations that may not meet the <br />purpose and need far the project and could result in negative impacts on the historic <br />downtown, If there has been no recent assessment of the origin and destination of <br />12 of 3 pages <br />