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8 <br /> MPO Board 10/9/2019 Item 8 <br /> Ref: 38587.01 <br /> October 1, 2019 <br /> Page 2 <br /> NC 54 Travelsheds <br /> Figure 1 represents the approximate extent of the "travelshed"for trips to/from the center of Chapel Hill via the NC <br /> 54 West corridor. Trips beginning/ending within the shaded area are more likely to use NC 54 than alternate routes <br /> (especially 1-40)for trips to/from downtown Chapel Hill, based on historically-determined relative travel times for <br /> routes provided by Google Maps. For example, a traveler starting near the northern edge of the shaded area could <br /> drive to downtown Chapel Hill via NC 54 or 1-40 in about the same time. Figure 2 demonstrates the impact of shifting <br /> the destination slightly south, to Southern Village. The added time required to drive all the way through Chapel Hill <br /> results in NC 54 being a shorter route for trips from the northwest (Burlington/Graham). There is a dividing line for <br /> somewhere around the NC 54 Bypass. Figure 3 is a comparable representation for trips to Burlington/Graham. <br /> Note that the relative volume of trips in each of these cases varies, and will change over time. <br /> The key to defining these travelsheds is the difference in relative travel times among alternative routes. Increasing <br /> congestion along 1-40 or NC 86 would be expected to shift this boundary northward and eastward, while more <br /> congestion along NC 54 would constrict the shaded area. Conversely, improvements that reduce relative travel <br /> times would expand a road's travelshed. <br /> Observations <br /> Comparing the travelsheds for the two major locations considered reveals several interesting observations: <br /> • For central Chapel Hill trips, while the travelshed spreads farther north and east, it does not extend beyond <br /> the ends of the corridor. <br /> • A minor shift south to Southern Village yields a travelshed that extends west and north of the Graham end <br /> of the corridor. This helps demonstrate the complex combination of origins and destinations served by the <br /> NC 54 west corridor. Although Chapel Hill is a major destination for trips using the NC 54 Study Area <br /> Corridor, there are dozens of significant trip-end pairs using portions of the corridor, and the relative <br /> volumes of these trips can shift over time in response to local and regional growth and development, <br /> congestion, and roadway improvements. <br /> • For the centralized Burlington/Graham location,while the travelshed is narrower on the northern side, it <br /> extends well beyond the eastern end of the corridor, widening greatly to the south to include portions of <br /> northern Chatham County. This travelshed also applies to destinations north and west of the indicated <br /> location. Growth outside the corridor is a more significant factor in traffic increases in this travel market <br /> than for the downtown Chapel Hill travel market. <br /> • Trips between western Orange County and points east of Chapel Hill (such as Durham and RTP) use this <br /> portion of NC 54 and the Bypass; however, 1-40 is a more attractive option for trips originating farther west, <br /> or even a slight distance north of NC 54 through the study area. <br /> Although this analysis does provide some insights about who is using this portion of NC 54, it has limitations. It does <br /> not reflect route selections of actual travelers, only the estimated minimum travel-time routes based on historical <br /> averages.These travel times are derived from samplings of signals from location-based services, which are subject to <br /> Page 2 of 12 <br />