OUTBoard minutes 041818 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Approved 5/16/18 113 Alex Castro said in the past, Carrboro was opposed to the widening. Will that opposition hold up the project? Nish 114 Trivedi answered the study is recommending widening and is not sure how strong the opposition is. The second 115 round of workshops will present recommendations and the public will have their opportunity to voice this concern from 116 NC-119 to Old Fayetteville Road. 117 118 Heidi Perry asked what the public input is for. Nish Trivedi answered that it is to see what the public thinks about the 119 proposed recommendations, opposition and support. Another purpose is to get input on where the sidewalk will be 120 and how big the right of way is going to be. 121 122 Alyson West checked that the public input will be on sidewalks and trails in addition to the widening of N.C. 54. 123 124 Alex Castro asked what the words “modernize” and “modernization” mean throughout the document. Nish Trivedi said 125 it means bringing the roads to current standards, which can mean increasing lane widths and increasing paved 126 shoulders. 127 128 Alyson West asked for clarification on the modernization process. Will NCDOT prioritize safety, speed, or mobility? 129 Nish Trivedi answered yes, they will create turn lanes at multiple intersections for traffic control and pedestrian safety. 130 131 Heidi Perry asked how pedestrian safety is addressed when turning lanes are added to intersections. Nish Trivedi 132 said he does not have answers to that question but will look into it. 133 134 Alex Castro noted that on Old Greensboro Road there is a narrow bridge that is difficult for motorists and cyclists to 135 share safely. He is concerned about that. 136 137 Nish Trivedi said modernization involves increasing the amount of paving without adding more lanes. 138 139 Alyson West asked whether the design speed is changed when lanes are widened. Nish Trivedi answered that he 140 would need to check on that. 141 142 It was noted by Alex Castro and Heidi Perry that the paved shoulder on the edge of Orange Grove Road was not built 143 to the standards of the road so it crumbled away. 144 145 Erle Smith asked whether modernizing roads means there will be 13.5 inches of pavement beyond the white line 146 everywhere. Nish Trivedi said he will follow up on that. 147 148 Heidi Perry noted that Alyson West’s question about widening lanes increasing the design speed is relevant and 149 asked what the width is that NCDOT is bringing standards up to. 150 151 Alyson West said if the modernization is funded, is there another part of the study where this board can look at the 152 design standard? Nish Trivedi said NCDOT brings the roads up to current design standard. 153 154 Heidi Perry asked whether there is only one standard for every two-lane road. Nish Trivedi answered roads have to 155 be designed to specific NCDOT cross sections when they are modernized, hence bring it to current standards. 156 157 Nish Trivedi said he can take comments on reducing speed as part of modernizations. Alyson West said if Old 158 Greensboro Road is widened and that increases the speed, then it becomes more of a cut-through for commuters. If 159 NCDOT widens the road and it increases space for bike lanes, that’s great. If it widens the lanes, the tendency is for 160 people to drive faster. 161 162 Heidi Perry asked about out-of-sync lights. Nish Trivedi said NCDOT is working on them. 163 164 Alex Castro suggested NCDOT consider installing a sensor for bicycles at each end of the bridge on Old Greensboro 165 Road that would trigger strobe lights (like the pedestrian crossing lights) to slow traffic down. That is true 166 modernization, making it a safer road for bicyclists and motorists, he said. Nish Trivedi said he noted the suggestion 167 and will ask for more information about that possibility. 168