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Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan <br /> Douglas Efland September 27,2018 <br /> Donald Efland <br /> PO Box 246 <br /> Efland, NC 27243 <br /> Mr. NishithTrivedi <br /> Transportation Planner <br /> Orange County Planning and Inspections Department <br /> Hillsborough, NC 27275 <br /> We receive a notification letterfrom the Orange County Planning Department and wish to address <br /> the issue of the long-range planning for the EBM-AMP area. We also attended the public information <br /> session at Gravely Hill Middle School concerning this subject.As it was presented,we would request <br /> that the western most proposed blue dot for a new intersection over the railroad tracks in the Efland <br /> area located at the curve where Forrest Ave.transitions to Efland Cedar Grove Road, and also including <br /> a portion of Southern Drive, be eliminated from the EBM-AMP. The logic behind our request is because <br /> there is no realistic conceivable way to make an overpass or underpass for crossingthe railroad tracks at <br /> this location for the following reasons; <br /> For an overpass,there is not enough distance from Hwy 70 to this location to accommodate the <br /> steep grade that would be required. The railroad track at this location is already 15to 25feet above the <br /> roadbed level on the Efland Cedar Grove Road side. NCDOT requirements for minimum vertical <br /> clearance of a road over a Railroad is 23 Y4 feet.This would require a combined vertical earthen buildup <br /> and bridge above the current Efland Cedar Grove Road roadbed of approximately 40 to 50 feet(for <br /> comparison minimum Interstate vertical clearance is lb to 17 feet). Even if it was realistic to think there <br /> was enough distance from Hwy 70 to accommodate the grade requirement for this new overpass the <br /> impact on adjacent landowners would be extreme. Efland Presbyterian Church would most likely lose <br /> their parking area that includes handicap parking.The homeowners on the western side of the Efland <br /> Cedar Grove Road section of the new required slope would lose all access to their homes and would <br /> most likely face eminent domain. Forrest Avenue and Southern Drive would become dead end roads. <br /> The topography does not lend itself to an underpass either.Severe excavation would have to take <br /> place on both sides of the railroad and would include the associated problems mentioned with the <br /> overpass issue. <br /> The idea of anew intersection with a level crossing is also unrealistic. It offers no advantage to the <br /> current roadway. It would only create parallel roads to the current roads and introduce an additional <br /> intersection to the current traffic flow. It also would require a vertical buildup of Efland Cedar Grove <br /> Road and result in making dead end roads of Forrest Avenue and Southern Drive and eliminate western <br /> homeowners' access to their houses. <br />