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Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan <br /> A. Roles and Responsibilities <br /> NCDOT has full authority over state roads but not over local land use decisions. Orange County regulates land <br /> use decisions but does not own or maintain local roads.Therefore, coordination is essential in balancing the two <br /> authorities when it comes to access management policies and procedures. Each agency has authority over a <br /> different part of the process and the partnership benefits the public, developer, and property owner whose <br /> financial investment is at stake. <br /> Role/Responsibility of the NCDOT <br /> NCDOT is responsible for regulating the location, design, construction, and maintenance of street and driveway <br /> connections on the State Highway system. The NCDOT recognizes landowners have certain reasonable rights of <br /> access consistent with their needs. However, access connections are a major contributor to traffic congestion <br /> and poor roadway facility operations that can result in decreased highway capacity, and increased safety <br /> hazards. Early NCDOT review of development proposals helps ensure conformance with access management <br /> requirements and provides NCDOT an opportunity to suggest changes prior to local project approval, which may <br /> occur well in advance of a request for a driveway permit. The NCDOT Access Management Group (of the <br /> Congestion Management Section of the Traffic Engineering and Safety Systems Branch) examines the potential <br /> safety and capacity impacts that new or expanding traffic generation may have on the state roadway system and <br /> provides recommendations based on the analysis. This process typically requires the completion of a Traffic <br /> Impact Analysis by the Developer/ Property Owner/Applicant. Other recommendations may range from denying <br /> access, to requiring the developer to construct additional travel or turn lanes, access restrictions, internal traffic <br /> pattern operations or installing new traffic signals to minimize the traffic impact. <br /> Role/Responsibility of Orange County <br /> Several sections of the Orange County UDO assist with implementation of the E-B-M AMP.The UDO requires site <br /> plans to comply with County adopted access management, transportation and/or connectivity plans and to <br /> denote the location of future roadways(s) and access easements, whether public or private, and to ensure and <br /> encourage future connectivity. The UDO also provides additional requirements for Economic Development <br /> Districts as well as the Major Transportation Corridor Overlay District (MTC). An important implementation tool <br /> for access management is the UDO requirement of a traffic impact analysis for all special use permits, major <br /> subdivisions, conditional zoning applications, site plans that exceed 800 trips per day, and for 80 or more <br /> dwelling units of residential development. Additionally, a traffic impact analysis may be required when a road <br /> capacity or safety issue exists. The purpose of the traffic impact analysis is to insure that proposed <br /> developments do not adversely affect the road network and to identify any traffic problems associated with <br /> access from the site to the existing transportation network. The objective of the traffic impact analysis is to <br /> identify solutions to potential problems and to present improvements to be incorporated into the proposed <br /> development. <br /> Orange County Planning Department Page 27 <br />