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Approved 11/28/18 4b. Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan Update (Nish Trivedi) OUTBoard Action: To review and 56 comment on the Draft Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan (E-B-M AMP). 57 58 Nish Trivedi: The background of this plan; it was originally adopted in November 2011. A Transportation Study was done 59 in 2017. It looked at existing conditions, environmental, traffic analysis and other issues related to the 2011 E-B-M AMP. 60 He explained the process of updating the plan. The Access Management Plan is the proposed long-range master plan 61 for the possibility of new roads and the connection to existing roads. The main purpose is to maintain the overall safety 62 of the transportation system, minimize congestion and crashes, provide efficient traffic flow and safety; and ensure 63 access to adjacent properties as development occurs over time. The plan is a long-range vision of the area. It is a means 64 of requesting right-of-way dedication during the development review process. Nish explained the history of the planning 65 process and what the plan does and does not do. In 2017 Volkert conducted the transportation study. The original 2011 66 E-B-M AMP included a map of the area and identified key intersections in the area. It included a variety of access 67 management strategies including 2 possible street cross sections. In September 2011 the Planning Board and 68 OUTBoard reviewed it and made its recommendations. There was a public information meeting held in November of that 69 year and the Board of County Commissioners adopted it that same month. In 2017 Volkert worked with Pilot 70 Environmental Inc. in completing the study. They determined the development potential for the area based on 71 environmental and other constraints as well as the traffic impact of that development. 72 73 Alex Castro: The Plan didn’t address multi-model concerns; it is only about roads. And there is nothing about commuter 74 rail, only about roads. 75 76 Nish Trivedi: The Plan addresses multimodal in the recommended NCDOT Standards Street cross-sections which are 77 covered later in the presentation. This study included a big spreadsheet with 30 rows of data that showed what the 78 various development sites might be. Hypothetical example is a 100 acre property was evaluated and it was determined 79 that only 30 acres was actually developable due to environmental issues, market factors and other constraints. 80 Maximizing the 30 acres development would result in a traffic impact; more cars on the road will be generated from that 81 development. The 2017 Transportation Study also considered NCDOT 24 different street cross sections, what State 82 routes should look like. It proposed 3 NCDOT standard street cross-sections for this area. The Study also took into 83 consideration the impact at intersections, what would be needed at those intersections, would turn lanes be needed due 84 to increased traffic. The slides show some of the intersections that would need turn lanes, stops signs, etc. to address 85 the increased traffic for that development. Now we are in the process of updating the original 2011 E-B-M AMP using 86 the 2017 Study. 87 88 David Laudicina: Study for Railroad 89 90 Nish Trivedi: NCDOT is having conversations with the railroads for improvements at railroad crossings. I have been told 91 that the railroad wants to close at-grade crossings. NCDOT is working with them on this issue and we have not heard 92 any specifics. The railroad has plans for this area and has ongoing conversations with NCDOT. I keep hearing different 93 things on their wish list going forward. We conducted a community meeting to let the public know what is going on in this 94 process and get their feedback. The study also included recommendations, and these are all presented to you for your 95 consideration as we draft the E-B-M AMP. We are taking the original 2011 E-B-M AMP, adding the 2017 Transportation 96 Study, with public comments, to create a whole new plan. The 2017 Transportation Study analyzed potential roads and 97 whether those roads were feasible and ensure everyone had access to their property while development occurs, and the 98 circles are for various intersection improvements. The green lines are from the study itself. The purple lines you see are 99 where staff determined additional roads and studies would be needed to address increased traffic brought on by the 100 development. The red circles are the intersections from the Transportation Study. We as staff think that additional 101 intersections will be needed, and more study and possible improvements needed for those intersections. Mebane has 102 also recently adopted a Comprehension Transportation Plan this June 2018. That is shown as the yellow line and yellow 103 circles. The study proposed 3 different cross sections and they include bike and pedestrian accommodations either by 104 paved shoulder and/or sidewalks. 105 106 Heidi: Does this include bike lanes? 107 108 Nish Trivedi: There are wide paved shoulders and/or sidewalks in the street cross sections but no specific bike lane 109 notations because plan does not include road design. Paved shoulders could be used as bike lanes. 110 111